An Afghan Air Force pilot was assassinated in Kabul as a result of an explosion that targeted his vehicle in Chahar Asiab district in Kabul on Saturday, sources said.

Five civilians were wounded in the explosion, sources said.

A second explosion targeted a vehicle belonged to Afghan Raily Authority in Kbaul in which three people were wounded.

Meanwhile, Dawa Khan Menapal, head of the Afghan government’s media and information center who was killed in an attack by unknown gunmen in Kabul on Friday, was laid to rest on Saturday.

“They cannot suffocate our voice by these murders and massacres. There are millions of Menapals who will continue his legacy,” said Mirza Mohammad Katawazai, an MP from Paktika.

“Our demand from the government is to find the killers of martyred Menapal and serve them with justice,” said Assad Menapal, brother of Dawa Khan Menapal.

Menapal, 40, was born in Zabul and pursued his primary and higher education in Zabul and Kandahar. He obtained bachelor degree in law from Kabul University.

Menapal was married and is survived by four children.

“Menapal raised his voice against aggression, sedition and tyranny. We will keep this voice alive,” said Waheed Omer, an aide to President Ashraf Ghani.

“They martyred Menapal, a true son of Afghanistan, but there are lots of Menapals in this country,” said Najib Sharifi, head of Journalists’ Safety Committee.

Before his job as head of the media and information center, he worked as deputy presidential spokesman from 2016 to 2020.

Menapal also served as head of the government’s media and information center in Kandahar in 2015.

The attack happened when Menapal left a mosque and was in a car, probably driving home, eyewitnesses said.

Menapal served as a journalist at Radio Azadi prior to his assignments in the government.

Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.