Taliban Assassinates Afghan Government's Top Media Officer

Taliban claimed responsibility for assassinating the head of the Afghan government’s media information centre, the ministry said on Friday.

The media officer was shot dead at a mosque in the capital, days after the Taliban warned they would target senior administration officials in retaliation for increased air strikes.

“Unfortunately, the savage terrorists have committed a cowardly act once again and martyred a patriotic Afghan,” interior ministry spokesman Mirwais Stanikzai said of the death of Dawa Khan Menapal.

Accordingly, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the assassination, sending a message to media saying “he was killed in a special attack carried out by mujahideen.”

Fighting in Afghanistan’s long-running conflict has intensified since May, when foreign forces began the final stage of a withdrawal due to be completed later this month.

The Taliban already control large portions of the countryside, and are now challenging Afghan government forces in several large cities.

Moreover, the militants warned Wednesday of more attacks targeting Afghan government leaders, a day after the defence minister escaped an assassination attempt.

Thus, the European Union called, Thursday, for permanent ceasefire in Afghanistan , condemning escalation of violence across the country.

The ceasefire call comes within the framework of multiple armed attacks; such the attack on UNAMA office in Herat province, and subsequent fighting in Lashkar Gah having caused at least 40 civilian casualties.

In addition, the bomb-and-gun attack on Defense Minister Bismillah Mohammadi Tuesday night brought the war to the capital for the first time in months.