Taliban accused of killing woman in Sar-i-Pul

SAR-I-PUL (Pajhwok): A senior official on Monday accused Taliban militants of killing a woman in northern Sar-i-Pul province, but the rebels rejected the claim as baseless.

Sar-i-Pul Governor Mohammad Zahir Wahdat told Pajhwok Afghan News Taliban killed the woman in Lati village after she visited relatives in an area under government control on the outskirts of Sar-i-Pul city, the provincial capital.

The governor said as Lati area of the city was under Taliban, the murder case remained uninvestigated.

Women’s Affairs Director Nasima Arzo also said the woman was killed because she visited an area under government control.

The incident happened after the woman entered a verbal dispute with the Taliban, she said.

The provincial council head, Mohammad Noor Rahmani, confirmed the Taliban had killed the woman.

“The woman was killed with a knife by Taliban militants. One of her brothers in law is living in the village and another in Sar-i-Pul city.”

“The brother living in the city is serving in the Afghan Local Police (ALP), some people contacted Taliban and said the woman was sharing information about Taliban with the government,” he said.

“The Taliban then asked the woman why she traveled to an area in government control, the woman replied the government was Islamic, and Afghans were Muslims,” Rahmani continued.

In reaction, the Taliban killed the woman in her house in Lati village last night.

But the allegation has been rejected by local Taliban. A local Taliban member said they had not killed the woman. He said she was killed as a result of personal enmity.

The rebel, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they would investigate the issue.

mds/ma