The wife of Salam Matftoon, a local singer, was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in the northeastern province of Badakhshan, local sources said, in the latest in a series of killings reported across the country in recent days.
Sources told, that that the incident happened early Thursday morning in Ishkashim district when Lailuma Maftoon was on her way to her restaurant. She reportedly owned a women-only restaurant in the district’s local market.
The district is one of the most remote areas in the northeastern province.
The motive for the killing remains unclear, and no group has claimed responsibility.
Taliban have not publicly commented on the incident.
The killing comes amid rising concern among citizens over an apparent increase in targeted attacks and killings carried out by unidentified armed men in several provinces.
Over the past three days, residents and local sources have reported multiple killings in Nangarhar, Kabul, Herat and other parts of the country.
Earlier this week, a prominent tribal elder, Hajiullah Nazar, was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Surkh Rod district of Nangarhar province in the east, according to local sources and Taliban police officials.
In Herat, the head of the province’s metalworkers’ union and a well-known landowner was also killed in a knife attack by unidentified assailants. Earlier, a 12-year-old girl was killed in Raghistan district of Badakhshan, while Badakhshani woman Badriya Jalali was also killed in a separate attack in Kabul.
Although Taliban say security has improved since their return to power in 2021, residents and rights observers have continued to report incidents of unexplained killings, armed attacks and disappearances in different parts of the country.
Targeted killings and violent incidents involving women continue to raise concerns in Afghanistan, particularly in remote provinces where security oversight and law enforcement capacity remain limited.
Badakhshan, a mountainous province bordering Tajikistan, China and Pakistan, has witnessed periodic security incidents in recent years, including armed clashes, attacks linked to militant groups and disputes involving local commanders.