Sep 26, 2021 - World

Taliban hang bodies of suspected kidnappers in Afghan city square

Axios

A young Taliban fighter aims his rifle in the direction of a photographer for fun as he stands guard outside a police station in Kabul. — Taliban fighters in Kabul on Wednesday. Photo:Oliver Weiken/picture alliance via Getty Images

Taliban authorities killed four suspected kidnappers and put their bodies on public display to deter others in the city of Herat, western Afghanistan, per multiple reports.

Why it matters: It's another sign of a return to the oppressive rule Afghans experienced under Taliban rule from 1996-2001, despite the interim all-male government's moves to project a modern, more inclusive image.

It comes days after a Taliban founder told AP that strict punishments including hand amputations and executions would return to Afghanistan.

What's happening: Herat deputy governor Sher Ahmad Ammar said in an interview with Reuters Saturday that the men had abducted a local businessman and his son, but the kidnappers died during a gunfire exchange with a Taliban.

"Their bodies were brought to the main square and hung up in the city as a lesson for other kidnappers," he said, noting that one Taliban fighter was wounded in the shootout but the kidnapped pair were released unharmed.

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Taliban hang bodies of suspected kidnappers in Afghan city square

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