A regional branch of the Daesh terror group has claimed responsibility for a fatal attack on a Taliban official in northeastern Afghanistan, according to the SITE intelligence monitoring group. Zabihullah Amiri, who served as the head of the information and culture department in Badakhshan province, was shot and killed on Tuesday while traveling to the provincial capital, Faizabad.
The Daesh-Khorasan group, which operates as the organization's chapter in Afghanistan and Pakistan, confirmed its involvement in the attack on Wednesday. Amiri was identified as the nephew of Amanuddin Mansur, the current governor of the southern Helmand province.
In response to the incident, Afghanistan's information and culture ministry announced that one of the assailants involved in the shooting was killed, while a second individual was taken into custody. The ministry condemned the incident as a "cowardly attack" and issued a statement on Tuesday declaring that such actions will not weaken the government's resolve or determination to maintain control.
Although Taliban officials have frequently vowed to restore security across the country, sporadic violent attacks have persisted since the group returned to power in 2021. The Daesh-Khorasan branch has claimed responsibility for several high-profile incidents during this period. These include a suicide bombing in December 2024 that resulted in the death of refugees minister Khalil Ur Rahman Haqqani, as well as an explosion at a Chinese restaurant in central Kabul in January that killed at least seven people.
