Islamic State‑Khorasan, a violent extremist group responsible for deadly attacks and widespread human rights abuses, has claimed responsibility for killing a Taliban provincial official in northeastern Afghanistan, a rare strike on the movement’s senior ranks since it took power.
Zabihullah Amiri, head of the Taliban‑run information and culture department in Badakhshan, was shot dead Tuesday while traveling toward Faizabad. IS‑K said its fighters targeted “a commander from the apostate Taliban militia” with machine‑gun fire, according to a statement monitored by SITE Intelligence Group.
Taliban authorities said security forces killed one attacker and arrested another after what the Information Ministry called a “cowardly assault.” Amiri was a nephew of Amanuddin Mansur, the Taliban governor of Helmand province.
The killing highlights IS‑K’s continued ability to strike Taliban officials despite repeated claims from Kabul that security has improved nationwide. Badakhshan, which borders Tajikistan and China, has seen sporadic violence and remains strategically sensitive for regional governments worried about cross‑border militant activity.
IS‑K has carried out several attacks over the past year targeting Taliban personnel, foreign interests and minority communities, underscoring its rivalry with the Taliban and its intent to undermine the group’s control. The Taliban, seeking international recognition, has struggled to contain IS‑K’s operations even as it tightens checkpoints and expands intelligence sweeps in remote provinces. UN officials and regional governments have warned that IS‑K’s presence in northern Afghanistan poses broader security risks, particularly in areas where the Taliban’s grip is weaker and local networks remain fragmented.
