Azizullah Wafa, 30, was shot and killed by unidentified gunmen in the Barchi area in western Kabul city on Friday afternoon, relatives said. 

The relative of Wafa called for the perpetrators to be held accountable. 

“He went to the religious ceremony and when he was coming back the (gunmen) faced him nearby Imam Zafar Sadeq mosque,” said Shakillah, Wafa’s widow.  

“When we came home, I received a call that my son was shot and wounded in the vicinity of Imam Zafar Sadeq Mosque,” said Ali Mohammad, Wafa’s father.  

“We don’t live too far from there. It was about 5 to 6 minutes’ walk and when we arrived there he was already dead,” he added.  

Kabul's security department said it would investigate the murder.  

“I contacted the PD 13 about four hours ago. The PD was not aware of the murder… I don’t have fresh information about it and when I get the information I will share it with the media,” said Khalid Zadran, a spokesman for the Kabul department of security.  

Wafa had a master’s degree in Persian Literature from Kabul university.  

Wafa was on his way home from a religious ceremony on Friday afternoon when he came under the attack by the gunmen, according to relatives.  

“Azizullah has no personal hostility with anyone. He was an educated youth and was a social and cultural person,” said a relative.  

This comes as the residents of the capital city Kabul have repeatedly voiced concerns over a surge in criminal activity, saying that despite consecutive promises by the security officials, the level of criminal activities remains high.

Military veterans believe that the intelligence department of the Islamic Emirate should take professional steps to prevent such criminal acts.  

“The surge in mysterious killings and armed robbing that has recently affected the residents of Kabul is not justifiable. The intelligence forces of the Islamic Emirate should act with professionalism to prevent such crimes,” said Sadiq Shinwari, a military veteran.