Kabul: The Taliban’s assassinated the Chief of Afghan Government’s Media Information Centre Dawa Khan Menapal on Friday near a Mosque in Kabul. The Taliban’s targeted senior administration officers in retaliation for increased air strikes, after the days of warning.

Afghan Interior Ministry Spokesperson Mirwais Stanikzai told to the media persons that the Taliban’s violence in the Country is unfortunate; the savage terrorists have committed a cowardly act once again and martyred a patriotic. It also comes hours before the UN Security Council meets in New York to discuss the conflict.

He was popular in Kabul’s tight knit media community, and known for pillorying the Taliban on social media even jokingly at times. Former Presidential Spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi said he was utterly shocked and devastated. We lost another great soul, he added.

The Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid sent a message to media and claimed responsibility for the death; he was killed in a special attack carried out by mujahideen. The murder comes after the militants warned Wednesday of more attacks targeting Afghan government leaders, a day after the defence minister Bismillah Mohammadi escaped an assassination attempt in a bomb and gun attack. The Taliban already control large portions of the countryside, and are now challenging Government forces in several provincial capitals.