RASC News Agency: Local sources in Kunar province have confirmed that Qari Shabir Ahmad, the Taliban-appointed intelligence chief for Shigal district, along with his young son, was killed in an accidental explosion at their residence. Two others a brother and a bodyguard of the Taliban official were reportedly injured in the incident.
According to eyewitness accounts, the explosion occurred on Friday, September 12, while the child was handling a mortar shell inside the family home. Sources close to Qari Shabir Ahmad stated that the explosive detonated in a room where both the official and his son were present. The boy was killed instantly, while Qari Shabir Ahmad later succumbed to severe injuries despite being transported to a local hospital in Kunar.
Qari Shabir Ahmad, a native of Ghaziabad district, had been appointed intelligence chief of Shigal following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Analysts note that incidents of this kind are not uncommon in Taliban households. Many Taliban officials and fighters reportedly store large quantities of ammunition and explosives at home, often permitting children to handle these deadly devices as “toys.” Moreover, children are frequently exposed to military training and firearms, creating a hazardous domestic environment.
This tragic event underscores the Taliban’s systemic incompetence and reckless disregard for human life. By allowing explosive ordnance to be handled by minors, the group not only endangers their own members and families but also cultivates a culture of normalized violence and militarization that permeates civilian life under their rule. Experts argue that this reflects a broader pattern of mismanagement and lawlessness in Taliban governance, where personal and public safety is routinely subordinated to ideology and power consolidation.
To date, local Taliban authorities in Kunar have issued no public statement regarding the explosion. Observers warn that, without systematic oversight, regulation of munitions, and enforcement of basic safety standards which the Taliban have shown no capacity or willingness to implement such deadly accidents will continue. This incident adds to mounting evidence of the regime’s failure to safeguard even its own cadres, let alone the broader civilian population, further exposing the destructive and negligent nature of Taliban rule.
