The head of the Afghan government’s information center, Dawa Chan Minapal, was killed by the Taliban in Kabul, Reuters reported, stressing that he was Afghanistan’s chief communications officer. Minapal was also a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani.
Reports of Menapal’s death were confirmed by a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of the Interior, adding that “wild terrorists” killed the man during Friday prayers. “Unfortunately, brutal and savage terrorists committed another cowardly act and killed the patriot Dawa Khan Minapal, who resisted hostile propaganda, during Friday prayers in the capital of Afghanistan,” he said in a message sent to the media on the WhatsApp messenger.
The Taliban pleaded guilty to the attack
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AP that Taliban fighters killed Minapal, who led the government’s belt-driven operations for local and foreign media. A later statement said Minapal had “been killed in a special attack by the mujahideen” and had been “punished for his actions.” The spokesman did not disclose any more details.
Minapal was the head of the Afghan government’s information center and spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
One of the many homicides
The assassination of Minapal was one of many in a series by a hardlining group of Islamists to weaken Ghani’s democratically elected, West-backed government, Reuters reported, stressing that many community activists, journalists, judges and politicians were killed by Taliban fighters in an effort to silence voices opposition in a war-torn country.
Afghanistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. In mid-July, a Reuters photojournalist was killed in an attack by the Taliban Danisz Siddiki. The so-called Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the last few attacks on civilians, although the central government most often blames the Taliban for them.
Taliban in AfghanistanPAP / Maciej Zieliński, Adam Ziemienowicz
Main photo source: JALIL REZAYEE / PAP / EPA