In a major blow to the Taliban’s local security apparatus, the National Resistance Front (NRF) has claimed responsibility for a targeted operation that killed the deputy police chief of Police District 8 in Kunduz province, along with his bodyguard, during an inspection mission in the village of Shora Khak.
According to local sources who spoke with Afghanistan International, the slain official has been identified as Qari Yasser, a senior Taliban commander overseeing operations in District 8 of Kunduz city. The NRF stated that the attack was meticulously planned and executed while the Taliban official was visiting the group’s checkpoints in the area.
In a formal statement issued following the operation, the NRF confirmed that none of its fighters sustained injuries and that no civilians were harmed during the mission. The group described the assassination as part of its broader campaign to dismantle Taliban command structures and reclaim territory from what it calls an “illegitimate regime.”
Local residents corroborated the deaths, stating that Qari Yasser and his guard were killed in a sudden armed assault. Sources suggest the ambush was highly coordinated, targeting the Taliban personnel with precision during their movement through the Shora Khak region.
The Taliban have not released any statement in response to the incident.
The killing of a high-ranking Taliban police official in a major provincial capital signals a renewed capability and reach by the NRF, which continues to mount resistance across several northern provinces. Kunduz, long regarded as a strategic stronghold for both the Taliban and insurgent groups, has witnessed a resurgence in underground opposition activity in recent months.
While the Taliban continue to claim control over the region, Thursday’s strike underscores the persistent vulnerabilities within their ranks and the ongoing challenge posed by organized armed resistance.
