Kapisa residents concerned as targeted killings on the rise

Kapisa residents and members of the Provincial Council said targeted killings are on the rise in the province and that security agencies have failed to prevent such incidents.
In a recent incident last week, a man was killed in Hesa Awal-e Kohistan district in the province near his home when he was on the way to his shop.
Victims’ families said police are not paying attention to people’s safety in the province, adding that the perpetrators of the recent incident have not been arrested so far.
“I was in office that night when I was informed that my cousin has been killed. He was shot by several bullets,” said Ghafoor, relative of a victim of targeted killings.
“We ask government to arrest his murderers,” said Nasratullah, brother of a victim.
Local officials said dozens of targeted killing incidents have happened in the past few months, though the officials have not given an exact number on this.
“The situation is not good. People are killed near their homes. So how they can think they are safe?” asked Nazir, a Kapisa resident.
“The situation is not good. We hear many firings during nights, even in areas close to the main road,” said Abdul Wahid a Kapisa resident.
The Kapisa Provincial Council said the problem needs a serious attention by security forces.
“Targeted killings rate has been high this year. We hope that such incidents are prevented in Kapisa,” said Mohammad Hussain Sanjani, head of Kapisa Provincial Council.
Statistics by Kapisa police show that almost 200 crime and terrorist incidents have occurred in the province so far this year and dozens of suspects have been arrested in connection to the incidents.
“Perpetrators of all incidents have been arrested and have been sent to judicial organizations,” said Abdul Basir Khpalwak, Kapisa Police Chief. According to Kapisa Provincial Council, more than 40 people have been killed in the province in the past five months.