A former Afghan soldier was shot dead in front of his mother in Paktika province on Thursday, in what residents described as another act of reprisal by the Afghan Taliban against ex-security personnel. Local sources told Amu that the incident occurred near a Taliban checkpoint in Kharikot district, where the victim, Rahmatullah, was intercepted and killed. Witnesses said Taliban fighters opened fire on him in front of his mother, leaving the family devastated.
Rahmatullah had previously served in the Afghan security forces and was disabled after losing a hand and a foot in an explosion during his service. Despite his condition, locals said he continued to face harassment under Taliban rule.
Residents of Kharikot condemned the killing, saying it highlighted the continued targeting of former soldiers despite the Taliban’s repeated claims of a general amnesty. “He was disabled and posed no threat to anyone, yet they killed him in front of his mother,” one resident said.
The killing has drawn renewed attention to allegations that the Taliban are carrying out systematic reprisals against former members of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF). Human rights monitors have repeatedly documented extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and harassment of ex-soldiers across multiple provinces since the Taliban takeover in 2021.
Observers warn that such incidents have deepened mistrust between local communities and the Taliban, with families of victims living under constant fear of persecution. “These acts not only violate the Taliban’s own amnesty promises but also international human rights standards,” one rights activist noted. The Afghan Taliban have not issued any statement on the Paktika killing.
