by Farid Behbud
KABUL, Feb 2 (NNN-XINHUA) – More than 50 people were killed, in separate targeted attacks in Afghanistan in Jan, as the increased assassinations and targeted killings triggered concern among ordinary Afghans in recent months, according to official figures.
Over the weekend, five people, including two security forces members and three civilians, were killed, in three separate attacks in the country’s national capital Kabul, while a praying leader and teacher of a local seminary was shot and killed in southern Kandahar province.
A service member of Afghan National Directorate of Security, the country’s intelligence agency, was assassinated in Kabul Saturday, while a civil society activist was mysteriously killed in Nuristan province.
On Jan 26, Safiullah Amiri, deputy provincial councillor, in northern Kunduz province, and the son of a local official were killed, in a bomb attack in Kunduz.
Abdul Raqeeb, a local religious figure, was killed by gunmen in eastern Parwan province on Jan 23.
On Jan 21, two army officers in an army pick-up truck were shot dead, in Police District (PD) 5 of Kabul, near a crowded traffic circle.
Wali Raghi, a senior government official, was killed after gunmen sprayed bullets on him, in Chahar Dara district of Kunduz, on Jan 19.
On Jan 18, two brothers lost their lives in a militants’ attack, along a main road in eastern Logar province.
On the same day, gunmen attacked and killed Mohammad Zahir Haqyar, chief of Washer district of southern Helmand province, in the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah city.
Also on Jan 18, the director of provincial directorate of Environmental Protection Agency, lost his life in an attack in eastern Ghazni province.
On Jan 17, two female judges of the country’s Supreme Court died and two wounded, after gunmen attacked their vehicle in PD 4 of Kabul.
Amid security forces’ efforts to nab terrorists behind targeted killings, four militants responsible for several attacks were arrested in Jalalabad city, capital of eastern Nangarhar province, on Jan 12. An AK-47 gun and a pistol were found in their possession.
On Jan 12, two army female officers and their driver were killed, after gunmen fired on their vehicle, along a main road in Mazar-i-Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province.
On Jan 6, six people, including one NDS personnel and two police officers, were killed in Kabul, Ghazni and Nangarhar provinces.
Mirwais Karimi, chairman of provincial religious council of Kapisa province, was killed in the province, in the north of Kabul.
On Jan 1, Bismillah Adil Aimaq, local journalist and head of a local radio station, was shot dead in Firoz Koah, capital of western Ghor province.
Some remaining 27 people were killed and several others wounded in separate targeted attacks in Herat, Kabul, Kandahar, Helmand, Farah and Badghis provinces.
No one claimed responsibility for majority of the attacks, but Afghan officials generally accused Taliban militants for the targeted attacks.
Militants of the Taliban and Daesh, conducted scores of targeted attacks against civilians and military officials in recent years. They consider anyone working for the government, NATO and U.S. troops as target.
Over 60 people were killed in targeted attacks in Dec, 2020.– NNN-XINHUA
