Taliban Nighttime Shooting to Kill Dogs in Helmand Raises Public Concern

Residents of Helmand say nighttime shooting by Taliban administration members to kill dogs on the roads of Lashkar Gah city and the province’s districts has not only spread fear but also caused psychological distress among the public.

The Taliban administration’s police command in Gereshk district said on Tuesday, 13 October, that its forces killed 62 dogs the previous night by firing directly at them. This figure was announced by the Taliban administration, and local sources also report that such actions are continuing in the provincial capital of Helmand and its districts.

Mohammad Bashir, a resident of Lashkar Gah, says Taliban members fire guns almost every night on the city’s roads and target dogs. He described the move as a source of concern and psychological pressure for people, and urged the Taliban administration to use other methods to eliminate dogs.

Some Helmand residents also describe killing animals by gunfire as “barbaric” behaviour, saying it has increased the atmosphere of fear among the public.

The Taliban administration had previously also announced campaigns to kill dogs in Lashkar Gah and the districts of Helmand. According to local sources, dogs are also sometimes shot dead in some provinces in Afghanistan’s southwest region.