Afghan Folk Singer Allegedly Shot Dead By Taliban

An Afghan folk singer Fawad Andrabi was allegedly gunned down by a Taliban commander in Andarab Valley, north of Kabul. The reports of his killing have emerged at a time when concerns about repressive nature of the Taliban rule are growing in Afghanistan.

In a tweet, Afghan journalist Sami Mahdi said, “Fawad Andarabi, a local artist, was dragged out of his home yesterday and killed by the Taliban in Kishnabad village of Andarab [district]. He was a famous folk singer in the valley. His son has confirmed the incident."

AP quoted the singer's son as saying that his was innocent, "a singer who only was entertaining people". He further said that the Taliban shot him in the head on the farm.

His son was also quoted as saying that a local Taliban council has vowed to hold his father's killer accountable for their crime. A Taliban spokesman, as per AP, said that they would hold an investigation into the incident.
The Andarab Valley is located in Baghlan, which is around 100 kilometers north of Kabul.

Meanwhile, United Nations special rapporteur on cultural rights Karima Bennounce, in a tweet, expressed 'grave concern' over the news of Andarabi's murder.