Razo Khan, a resident of Shah Wali Kot district in the eastern province of Khost, claims that four members of his family were killed in an operation by a unit of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in Khost while his brother was wounded.

Khan is now in Kabul “to seek justice.” He says the operation happened last year at 11 pm. Gunmen shot two of his brothers as well as a woman and a child in the family.

He threatened self-immolation if his case is not addressed.

“The government should respond about why he was arrested--why were my brothers martyred?--and if it does not respond, I will torch myself in my home,” Khan said.

“This man was neither a Taliban member nor did he have any links with the government. He was working to pay for his family’s needs and he was innocent,” Khost resident Sher Mohammad said.

Another family in Kandahar faced a similar incident in October when allegedly the 03 Unit of the NDS killed one of their members, according to Jabbar Pashtun, who is also in Kabul to seek justice. Pashtun said the perpetrators should be punished.

Relatives of Jabbar Pashtun, a Kandahar resident, holding his photos near a government office in Kabul.

“These forces are not accountable to the government. They are a black stain on the NDS’ name. They are not accountable. No matter how much we raise our voice for justice,” Kandahar resident Khwaja Ahmad said.

The NDS said that Razo Khan’s brother had been arrested for activities linked to terrorism, and for links with the Taliban.

Such operations have always been criticized by military analysts.

“The consequence is very big because they are damaging the legitimacy of the government and are causing outrage among the people towards the government,” military analyst Atiqullah Amarkhail said.

Local officials in Khost said the incident will be investigated, and declined from providing further details.

“The National Directorate of Security and other institutions are working on the case, and, so far, they do not have precise information,” Khost governor's spokesman Talib Mangal said.

The Independent Human Rights Commission claimed that an airstrike earlier this month killed more than 15 civilians--including women and children--during an attack targeting Taliban commander Mullah Nangialai in Shindand, Herat.