Days after the US military spokespersons openly blamed the Taliban for targeted killings, the Afghan insurgent group issued a stern statement denying the allegation. Taliban also blamed the Afghan government for defaming them. 

“The Islamic Emirate (the Taliban) has rejected such killings each time and labeled it detrimental for the country. It once proclaims to both, our compatriots and the world, that such people (civil societies activists, and journalists) are not included in our target lists,” Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesperson of the Taliban, said in a statement. 

Since the last two months, target killings and assassinations saw a dramatic rise in Afghanistan. Six journalists have been killed in the period. The Afghan government blamed the Taliban for all such killings.

The Taliban also claimed that they don’t target an unarmed person and those who are involved in espionage activities. The group said, such actions “neither an objective nor in the interest of the future of our homeland.”

Earlier on Monday, US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad also called the current high level of violence and the target killings “unacceptable.” He also called for an immediate significant reduction in violence/ceasefire.