Credible information cited by various social media handles raising serious concerns that the Afghan Taliban have begun international operations to target and eliminate opposition figures living outside Afghanistan.
Recent assassinations in Iran, combined with killings inside Afghanistan, suggest a coordinated and expanding campaign aimed at former military commanders and potential unifying leaders of anti-Taliban resistance.
Assassination in Iran raises alarm over cross-border operations
The killing of former Afghan police commander Ikramuddin Sari in Tehran has become the most serious example cited by Taliban opponents.
Sari and his companion, former army commander Mohammad Amin Almas, were shot dead in Tehran’s Valiasr area.
According to the information shared by opposition sources, Taliban-linked networks allegedly planned and facilitated the attack.
These sources claim four Taliban operatives entered Iran from Afghanistan weeks earlier, prepared the operation, carried out the assassination and returned immediately after.
Allegations also point to misuse of diplomatic cover through Taliban missions in Tehran and Mashhad, raising concerns about embassies being used to support covert operations.
Iranian authorities have confirmed investigations into the killings but have not announced any conclusions. No group has officially claimed responsibility.
Pattern of targeted killings inside Afghanistan
The Tehran assassination follows continued violence against former Afghan military personnel inside Afghanistan.
On December 26, 2025, Taliban forces executed three ex-members of the Afghan security forces, including a former border battalion commander and two former special forces soldiers.
These killings highlight a consistent pattern. Taliban opponents argue that the group continues to systematically target former officers who could mobilize resistance or organize political opposition.
Analysts say the internal executions and overseas assassinations reflect the same strategy: removing figures seen as future threats to Taliban rule.
Regional warnings and opposition reactions
Iranian newspaper Jomhouri Islami has warned that Afghan opponents of the Taliban now face growing insecurity inside Iran.
The paper linked recent assassinations in Tehran and Mashhad to Taliban-linked networks and urged Iranian authorities to reassess their engagement with the group.
Senior Afghan political figures have echoed these concerns. Former Afghan vice president Yunus Qanuni said Taliban intelligence services were responsible for the killings and accused the group of conducting organized cross-border operations.
Meanwhile, resistance leaders, including Ahmad Massoud and Yasin Zia, have urged Iran to carry out serious investigations and prevent foreign militant networks from operating on its soil.
While investigations continue, the growing number of killings has strengthened fears that the Taliban are expanding repression beyond Afghanistan’s borders, creating a new regional security challenge.
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