Targeted killings continue unabated in Afghanistan, escalating waves of fear and terror across the country. A noteworthy number of high profile government officials and political figures have already been assassinated this year. On Friday 13 July, Hanifa Safi, Provincial Director of Ministry of Women Affairs in Laghman was assassinated when a bomb attached to her car was detonated.
On Saturday 14 July, Ahmad Khan Samangani, a prominent Afghan politician was killed along with three Jihadi commanders, Abdul Aziz Daulatzai, Habash and Haji Shah Gul and a businessman – Haji Munir at his daughter's wedding in the capital of Samangan province.
On Sunday 15 July, Rahmatullah, a zonal police commander in Kandahar was shot dead by unidentified gunmen while on the same day Obaidullah Obaid, minister of higher education survived an IED attack while travelling from Baghlan to Kunduz province.
A few months ago, Maulvi Arsla Rahmani, one of Karzai's influential peace envoys was killed in broad day near his home in Kabul by unknown assailants. Haji Muhammad Muhaqiq, chairman of the Afghanistan People's Unity party and a leader of Afghan National Front was attacked during his recent visit to central Bamiyan province but he was lucky enough to survive the attack. This year's targeted killing is a continuation of its last year's episode which took lives of prominent faces such as Burhanuddin Rabbani, General Daud, Jawad Zahak, Ahmad Wali Karzai and so on.
Assassinations of high profile figures are addition to the routine of killing of civilians and NATO and Afghan troops. Such killings have deep negative impacts on the economy and political environment of Afghanistan. The trend will definitely compel businessmen, politicians and intellectuals to escape the country which is greatly damaging for a country like Afghanistan.
With prevailing security condition where no one – common men to high profile figures – feels safe; talking of improvement in security situation in Afghanistan seems only a tale of futility. Taliban's activities are intensifying with each passing day while the Afghan government is maintaining a soft stance towards them in the hope to convince them for peace negotiations. Nonetheless, insurgents focus on weakening the Afghan government and pay no attention to the calls of Mr. Karzai.
Deficient policies of the Afghan government are going to have catastrophic outcomes for Afghanistan which is standing at a crucial juncture where the NATO forces are planned to withdraw after handing over all the security responsibilities to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). The insurgents will continue targeted killings, suicide bombings, IED attacks and their other activities of terror to gain utmost benefit from the prevailing scenario.