Taliban fighters in Afghanistan have shot dead a relative of a journalist working for Deutsche Welle, the German public broadcaster says.
The news comes as fears grow the hardline group is reneging on its promise not to target the media or Afghans who worked with foreign countries.
Deutsche Welle said the militants were conducting a house-to-house search for the journalist, who now works in Germany. A second relative was seriously wounded but others were able to escape, it said, without giving details of the incident.
Taliban leaders vowed a complete amnesty for Afghans after taking Kabul on Sunday, but a report submitted to the UN says the militants have been conducting "targeted door-to-door visits" of people who worked with US and Nato forces.
It is evident that the Taliban are already carrying out organised searches for journalists, both in Kabul and in the provinces
Deutsche Welle director general Peter Limbourg
The report by the Norwegian Centre for Global Analyses, the UN's threat assessment consultants, said militants were also screening people on the way to the capital's airport, the only exit route for thousands of foreigners and Afghans seeking to flee Taliban rule.
"They are targeting the families of those who refuse to give themselves up, and prosecuting and punishing their families 'according to Sharia law'," Christian Nellemann, the group's executive director, told AFP.
"We expect both individuals previously working with Nato/US forces and their allies, alongside with their family members to be exposed to torture and executions."
The Taliban have denied such accusations in the past and have several times issued statements saying fighters were barred from entering private homes.
They also insisted women and journalists have nothing to fear under their new rule, although several media workers have reported being beaten with sticks or whips when trying to record some of the chaos seen in Kabul in recent days.
Deutsche Welle director general Peter Limbourg said the killing of its employee's relative showed the danger facing media workers and their families in Afghanistan.
"It is evident that the Taliban are already carrying out organised searches for journalists, both in Kabul and in the provinces. We are running out of time!"
The Taliban had raided the homes of at least three other DW journalists, the broadcaster said.
DW and other German media organisations have called on the German government to take swift action to help their Afghan staff.
The Taliban launched a public relations blitz promising media freedom and a pardon for all their opponents after regaining control of the country.
Under Taliban rule from 1996 to 2001, Afghan women were excluded from public life and girls banned from school. Under the strict version of Islamic law imposed by the group, people were stoned to death for adultery, while music and television were banned.
The United States invaded Afghanistan and toppled Taliban in 2001 for providing sanctuary to Al Qaeda following the September 11 attacks.
A video posted online by a high-profile woman journalist this week for a government-run television station offered a different reality to the Taliban's new image of tolerance.
"Our lives are under threat," Shabnam Dawran, an anchor at state-owned broadcaster RTA, said as she recounted being barred from the office.
"The male employees, those with office cards were allowed to enter the office but I was told that I couldn't continue my duty because the system has been changed," she said.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
