PAN, July 21, 2012

Taliban publicly whip kidnappers

By Abdul Maqsud Azizi

Taliban fighters whipped two suspected kidnappers in the Charkh district of central Logar province on Saturday, said an official.

The rebels brought the suspects on motorcycles to the Shash Qala bazaar and asked locals to converge on the area, a resident of the district, Abdul Basir, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

After a huge crowd gathered in the bazaar, the insurgents lashed each of the men 40 times with whips, he added. The victims -- aged between 25 and 30 -- had confessed to abducting a child some days ago, said Basir.

The district chief, Humanyoon Farooq, confirmed that the guerrillas had publicly punished the duo but he was unaware of their crimes.

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