Kabul: The Interior Ministry (MoI) announced that director of the Government Media and Information Center (GMIC) and former spokesman to the president,  Dawa Khan Menapal, was killed by in a Taliban attack on Friday afternoon in Kabul city.

Mirwais Stanikzai, a spokesman for the MoI, stated that Menapal was shot dead in the Darul Aman area of Kabul city on Friday afternoon.

Menapal had served as deputy presidential spokesman for several years before assuming the post as director of government media and information center.

The Taliban’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has claimed responsibility for the assassination.

The assassination comes after the Taliban assaulted Afghan Defense Minister Bismillah Mohammadi’s home in Kabul two days ago.

The group stated that the attacks were in response to the Afghan forces’ airstrikes against the militants.

The Taliban has also issue warning in a statement to carry out more attacks against senior Afghan officials. 
In a tweet, U.S. Charge d’Affaires Ross Wilson expressed his sadness over the incident and said he was disgusted by the killing of Menapal, who he called a friend and colleague whose career was focused on providing truthful information to all Afghans. “These murders are an affront to Afghans’ human rights & freedom of speech, ” he said.

Minapal was an outspoken critic of Pakistan’s interference in Afghanistan and the country’s support to the Taliban militants.