A group of 100 people under the Taliban's command is involved in the targeted killings in cities across Afghanistan, said Tariq Arian, a spokesman for the Ministry of Interior (MoI).
At least 17 of this group’s members who were arrested by the security forces have confessed, said Arian, adding that “the 17 members of this terrorist network, who were recently arrested by the security forces…. have confessed that they are part of the group of 100.”
“The Taliban have ordered them to be part of the targeted killings,” Arian said.
The Taliban said that no civilians have been hurt in their targeted killings.
There has been a major increase in targeted killings in cities, especially in Kabul, and figures from the MoI indicate that at least 70 civilians were killed, and more than 140 others were wounded in the last two weeks in magnetic mine and roadside mine blasts in the country.
Amir Gul, a member of the Afghan parliament, said he believed that the targeted killings have increased in the country due to Afghanistan’s peace negotiations that are currently underway in Doha, Qatar.
“The terror that is happening now is connected to the Taliban. (The Taliban) are always doing something to gain more over there (in negotiations),” he said.
On Sunday, two officers of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) were killed in an attack by unknown gunmen in the Bagram area of Kabul city.
Hamdullah Arbab, spokesman and commissioner for the Access to Information Commission, was targeted but survived a magnetic IED blast in Kabul. His driver was killed, and his security guard was wounded in the blast.
“Continuing the terror can also be due to the lack of access of our intelligence to such incidents or due to their negligence,” said Abdul Rahman Wardak, another MP.
Most of the magnetic and roadside mine blasts have not been claimed by any group, including the Taliban.