RASC News Agency: Afghanistan’s security landscape continues to deteriorate as armed robberies, targeted killings, and violent crimes surge in major urban centers, highlighting the Taliban’s chronic inability to protect citizens. In Herat, the Oil and Gas Union reported the killing of a 35-year-old employee of a local gas company. According to the union, the victim was shot dead by armed assailants while transporting funds to a currency exchange in the Kamar Kalagh area on Sunday, Aug 31. Family members stated that the attackers fired without warning and absconded with the cash.
Simultaneously, in Kandahar, a 22-year-old man was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen in the city’s fourth police district, who also stole his motorcycle. The Taliban authorities have yet to provide any public response regarding these incidents, and no arrests have been reported. Local observers and security analysts warn that the spike in violent crime stems from a combination of chronic unemployment, widespread poverty, weak judicial oversight, and the Taliban’s systemic failure to enforce law and order. In many cases, targeted killings of former government employees and security personnel suggest possible involvement of Taliban-affiliated networks, further exacerbating public fear and undermining trust in governance.
This pattern of violence underscores the Taliban’s longstanding incapacity to maintain even minimal security. Civilians are left exposed not only to ordinary criminal activity but also to politically motivated attacks, a situation that has created a pervasive climate of psychological insecurity across Afghanistan’s cities. Experts note that the Taliban’s governance model prioritizes ideological loyalty over professional competence, with recruitment into administrative and security positions often contingent on past allegiance to the group rather than merit or expertise. As a result, law enforcement and emergency response remain ineffective, leaving communities vulnerable and justice largely inaccessible.
The increase in violent crime, coupled with the absence of credible policing or judicial accountability, has transformed urban centers into arenas of fear, where citizens face daily threats to life, property, and dignity. Despite their claims of authority, the Taliban continue to fail in delivering the most basic obligation of governance: ensuring the safety and security of the Afghanistani population. This ongoing collapse of security is emblematic of a broader governance crisis. Without immediate reform and genuine accountability, the Taliban’s rule not only perpetuates instability within Afghanistan but also poses risks for regional security, as lawlessness creates opportunities for criminal and extremist networks to operate with impunity.
