Taliban Critic Stabbed in London, Attackers Flee Scene

Natiq Malikzada, a civil activist and outspoken critic of the Taliban, was attacked with a knife by two unidentified individuals in London on Thursday night, sources close to him told Afghanistan International.

According to the sources, Malikzada sustained multiple stab wounds in the chest, shoulder, and hand.

His relatives reported that two masked individuals entered his home and assaulted him with a knife before fleeing the scene. They further claimed that the attackers were also Afghan nationals.

Following the incident, Malikzada managed to seek help from a neighbour, who assisted him in alerting the police and emergency services.

Sources confirmed that Malikzada is currently receiving medical care in a hospital, where police have implemented security measures. His condition is reported to be stable.

Afghanistan International has obtained an image of him lying on a hospital bed after the attack.

The Metropolitan Police have not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.

Malikzada is an active user on the X social media platform, where he frequently criticises Taliban policies.

A day before the attack, he had posted a warning about the Taliban’s influence in the UK, writing “A few years ago, if you’d told me I’d censor myself in the UK because of the Taliban, I would’ve laughed. Now I’m holding back as the UK has become like the Taliban’s Western capital. I’m not anti-immigration (I’m an immigrant), but it’s frightening how the UK has fallen to the Taliban.”

Taliban officials have previously threatened exiled critics with attacks.

Last year, Saeed Khosty, a former Taliban Interior Ministry spokesperson, openly stated that those campaigning against the Taliban should be “killed”. He further claimed that the group had “hundreds of volunteers” ready to target its opponents abroad.

Additionally, in February 2024, Mohammad Nabi Omari, the Taliban’s Deputy Interior Minister, declared that, if necessary, the Taliban could target their opponents outside Afghanistan for as little as 500 Pakistani rupees.

The attack on Malikzada has raised concerns about the safety of Afghan dissidents living in exile, particularly in the UK.