Afghan Air Force pilot killed in Kabul blast

An Afghan Air Force pilot was killed in an explosion that targeted his vehicle in Chahar Asiab district of Afghanistan's Kabul on Saturday, TOLO News reported citing sources.

Five civilians were also injured in the explosion, as per sources.

Meanwhile, Dawa Khan Menapal, head of the Media and Information Center of the Afghanistan government who was killed in an attack by gunmen in Kabul on Friday, was laid to rest today.

"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, reported TOLO News further.

Menapal was gunned down at Darul Aman Road in the capital city of Kabul. He had worked as deputy presidential spokesman from 2016 to 2020. He also served as head of the Aghan government's media wing in Kandahar in 2015.

This comes a few days after the country's renowned poet and historian Abdullah Atifi was killed by Taliban in Uruzgan province on Wednesday night.

The provincial governor said the poet was killed outside his residence by the Taliban's gunmen. However, the Taliban hasn't commented on the incident yet.

The Taliban has increased their attacks against civilians, Afghan defence, and security forces. Over the past few weeks, the Taliban have captured several key districts in Afghanistan including the country's northeastern province Takhar.

Last week, the Taliban had killed a popular Afghan comedian in the country's Kandahar province. The UNSC is set to meet on Friday, under India's presidency to discuss the surge in violence by the Taliban in Afghanistan after the US troops withdrawal.

( With inputs from ANI )