Taliban assassinates Afghanistan govt's Media head Dawa Khan Menapal in Kabul

Amid escalating atrocities in Afghanistan, in another incident, the Taliban fighters assassinated the government's top media and information officer in the capital city of Kabul, Afghan Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed on Friday. 

Dawa Khan Menapal, who was the head of Government Media and Information Centre (GMIC), was shot dead in his vehicle this afternoon in Kabul's Darulaman district, TOLO news reported. Menapal was a former journalist and had also served as Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's spokesperson.

Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on Dawa Khan Menapal. The Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid took to Twitter to inform that Menapal was killed on Darulaman Road in Kabul as a result of a special Mujahideen attack.

"Moments ago, on the way to Darulaman Street in Kabul, the head of the media center of the Kabul administration, Davakhan Menapal, was killed in a special attack by the Mujahideen and was punished for his actions," he tweeted. 

Afghanistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Several recent attacks against civilians have been claimed by the Islamic State, although the government most often holds the Taliban responsible.

Earlier this week, the Taliban launched an attack on Afghanistan's acting defence minister General Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, in which eight people were killed and 20 others suffered injuries. The defence minister however escaped unhurt in the attack claimed by the Taliban. The bomb blast was followed by a gun battle in which all the four attackers were shot. 

On Wednesday morning, another explosion took place near a facility of Afghanistan's main security agency in the capital, wounding two civilians and a security official, police said. On Tuesday, the district governor of Sayed Abad district in Maidan Wardak province was also assassinated by Taliban fighters. 

'UNSC must intervene'

As the situation continues to worsen in Afghanistan, Tolo News Director Lotfullah Najafizada stressed the need for global powers such as the United Nations Security Council to deal with the militant crisis. Speaking to Republic TV Najafizada said, over the last two weeks, Talibani fighters have been attacking cities and trying to take the capitals. More than a million Afghans have been displaced just in the past 3 months, as a result of the attacks, he added. 

Fighting between the Taliban and the Afghan forces has intensified in recent weeks as the Afghan military has attempted to retake territory after Taliban advances. Nationwide, the Taliban now controls 223 districts, with 116 contested and the government holding 68. At least 17 of 34 provincial capitals are directly threatened by the Taliban.