A former prosecutor under the Republic government and his sister have been found murdered in Nangarhar with marks on their bodies that appear to show signs of torture, sources close to the family said.
The bodies of Naqi Mohammad Taqi and his sister were discovered by Taliban forces in the Daman area of Jalalabad city’s District Eight on Monday 20 November, according to a source who requested anonymity.
One of Mr Taqi’s relatives told Rukhshana Media that marks of torture can be seen on both bodies.
Mr Taqi used to be employed at the Department of Criminal Investigation in the Attorney General’s Office during the government of President Ashraf Ghani.
No Taliban officials have commented on the murders or whether there are any leads or motives for who might have committed the murders.
A member of Mr Taqi’s family has told the media that the former prosecutor lived in Kabul and was invited to a party in Nangarhar province on November 16.
He said Mr Taqi and his sister went to Nangarhar to attend the party before they were found dead.
“They were first poisoned, then tortured. The marks of severe torture could be seen on their bodies,” the family member said, without explaining why they believe the pair had been poisoned.
The relative said that they do not know of any suspects involved.
There have been numerous reports of prosecutors being targeted for revenge by Taliban members after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. No official count is available.
The New York Times reported in April 2022 that it had investigated widespread reports of revenge killings. Its verified number was nearly 500 former government officials and national security forces had been targeted and killed by Taliban members in its first six months in power.
Many prosecutors who worked under the previous government have fled Afghanistan in fear for their lives.
