Taliban authorities have confirmed the killing of Zabihullah Amiri, the group’s Director of Information and Culture in Badakhshan Province, in a targeted attack on Tuesday morning.
According to a statement issued by the Taliban police command in Badakhshan, Amiri was travelling from his home in Baharak district to his office in the provincial capital, Faizabad, when two men on a motorcycle attacked his vehicle along the Baharak–Faizabad road.
The statement said Amiri’s bodyguards returned fire, killing one of the attackers at the scene. Taliban security forces have launched an operation to identify and capture the second suspect, who reportedly fled the area.
According to information obtained by local sources, Amiri’s driver was also wounded in the attack. Following the shooting, Taliban forces sealed off the surrounding area, and Amiri’s body was transferred to the Baharak clinic.
No individual or armed group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The killing comes amid a reported increase in attacks against Taliban personnel in Badakhshan in recent weeks. However, Taliban authorities have not linked the incident to any specific armed group, and no official evidence has been presented identifying those responsible.
The targeted killing underscores continuing security challenges in northeastern Afghanistan, where armed attacks and clashes involving Taliban forces have been reported with increasing frequency in recent weeks.
