The Kurdistan Human Rights Network has alleged that a local Taliban official in Afghanistan’s Sar-e Pol province killed a Kurdish woman and her teenage daughter after they resisted an attempt at forced marriage.
According to the organization, Chimen Hosseinzadeh, a Kurdish woman originally from Bukan in western Iran, and her 15-year-old daughter, Sara Yousefi, were killed on May 8 in Ghaldori village of Kohistanat district.
The rights group reported that Hosseinzadeh had married an Afghan citizen nearly two decades ago and had lived in Kohistanat ever since. Known locally as “Bibi Chamangul,” she reportedly worked as a midwife and was well known among residents of the area.
Citing a local source, the organization claimed that Mufti Mohammadullah, the Taliban’s head of Hajj and Religious Affairs in Kohistanat district, had sought to marry Sara Yousefi.
According to the account provided to the rights group, the Taliban official went to the family’s home on the day of the incident and attempted to take the teenage girl with him. The report alleges that when her mother resisted, he opened fire, killing both mother and daughter.
The Kurdistan Human Rights Network further stated that Taliban authorities detained the accused official following the incident.
However, no details have been released regarding the status of the investigation, any formal charges, or the outcome of the case.
The report says relatives of Chimen Hosseinzadeh in the Iranian city of Bukan learned about the killings in late May and later held a symbolic memorial ceremony in honor of the victims.
The allegations emerge amid ongoing concerns raised by human rights organizations regarding violence against women, forced marriages, and the broader human rights situation in Afghanistan.
Advocacy groups have repeatedly warned that women and girls remain particularly vulnerable to abuse, especially in areas where access to legal protection and independent oversight is limited.
At the time of publication, Taliban authorities had not issued an official response to the allegations or publicly commented on the claims made in the report.
Because the information currently comes primarily from a human rights organization and local sources, many aspects of the case remain unverified. The absence of an official investigation report or public statement from Taliban authorities means key questions surrounding the incident remain unanswered.
Nevertheless, the allegations have renewed attention on the risks faced by women and girls in Afghanistan and the continuing international scrutiny of issues related to forced marriage, accountability, and the protection of fundamental rights.
