GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Reuters) – Afghan villagers hanged four captured Taliban militants from a tree yesterday as security forces battled the insurgents for a sixth day in a district of Ghazni province, an official said.
The hangings were carried out after Taliban fighters had killed more than 100 people in the area in the past week, including more than a dozen who were beheaded, Ghazni Deputy Governor Mohammad Ali Ahmadi said.
The battle in the Ajrestan district of Ghazni, southwest of the capital Kabul, is part of an escalation in attacks by the Taliban around the country as the militants take advantage of dwindling US air support as foreign forces leave.
The assault by an estimated 700 Taliban fighters began about six days ago but Afghan army commando reinforcements and the threat of NATO air strikes have so far prevented the district from falling under Taliban control, Ahmadi said.
Heavy fighting continued yesterday in Ajrestan, in the far west of the province.
The four captured militants were handed over to residents in Arzakai village, according to Ahmadi, who also uses the name Ahmadullah Ahmadi. It was unclear who handed the men over to the villagers or why.
Army commandos supported by aircraft from the US-led military coalition arrived on Friday to help local army and police, Ahmadi said.
“Coalition jets were in the air, but they did not bombard the area because of fears of civilian casualties,” he said.
Foreign forces’ air support will end entirely after international combat troops leave Afghanistan at the end of the year.
