Refugee who survived suicide bomber in Afghanistan dies in SW Houston stabbing, family says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- An Afghan refugee who survived a suicide bomber while serving alongside the U.S. military is the tragic victim of a deadly stabbing in southwest Houston.

Abdul Niazi was killed in his own office Wednesday evening, allegedly stabbed by Masiullah Sahil, a fellow refugee. Sahil is currently in the Harris County Jail and charged with murder.

By all accounts, Niazi had lived a remarkable life. Friends say he served as an interpreter for the U.S. military until a suicide bomber took both his legs. In 2014, the U.S. government relocated him as a refugee to Houston, where he thrived.

"He helped thousands of families," Nisar Momand, an Afghan community leader, said. "He was a social worker; he worked with the community together. We do a lot of services like helping new refugees, helping them with guidelines, how to apply for jobs."

Momand, other friends, and family mourned Niazi's shocking death, which also falls within the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

"Mr. Niazi was such a good person. He was really calm; he was full of love, that's why we are shocked about why this person killed him," Momand said.

Niazi, who has five children under 10 years old, was a prolific social media user. He regularly posted on TikTok and Facebook to communicate with fellow Afghans. He also sponsored community events and was always eager to help.

"I could not believe it," said one of Niazi's teenage nephews. "We want (Sahil) to be held accountable. Justice, you know."

The nephew didn't want us to share his identity, as many Afghans still have family back in Afghanistan. But, he was eager to talk about the man he looked up to.

"In my mind, he was the greatest person I knew. If you knew more about him, you would know how," he said.

As of Thursday evening, there was no clear motive on why Niazi was stabbed. Momand says the suspect was in Niazi's office getting help with some immigration paperwork, something he did regularly for other refugees.

For the thousands of Afghans who now call Houston home, they say one of the pillars of the community is gone too soon.

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