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Afghan Taliban 'behead two boys in Kandahar' Afghan Taliban 'behead two boys in Kandahar'
(about 2 hours later)
The Taliban have beheaded two boys for spying in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, officials say.The Taliban have beheaded two boys for spying in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar, officials say.
One of the boys, a 10-year-old, is reported to have regularly accepted food handouts from police in the Zhari district to feed his family. The boys, 10 and 16, had been scavenging for food in bins near police headquarters when they were abducted.
Kandahar's governor condemned the beheading as inhumane and un-Islamic. The Taliban denied killing him and condemned it as well. They are thought to have regularly accepted food handouts from police. Analysts say the Taliban are known to target those suspected of colluding with police.
Little is known about the other boy, who was 16 years old. But the Taliban have denied responsibility in this incident.
In 2012 the Taliban were accused of beheading a 12-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl in south and east Afghanistan - the group denied responsibility in both those cases. Spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi insisted to the BBC the group had not beheaded any children in the area.
Taliban denial Food for family
Kandahar's governor, however, condemned the acts as inhumane and un-Islamic and the provincial government has pinned the blame firmly on the militants.
Although the boys were abducted on Sunday, their bodies were only recovered on Monday morning in Kandahar's Zhari district.
News first emerged of the 10-year-old's death and later on Monday the Kandahar provincial government office confirmed that a second boy had also been beheaded.
The 10-year-old boy was very poor and was known to take food going spare from the police to take home to his family, says the BBC's Mahfouz Zubaide in Kabul.The 10-year-old boy was very poor and was known to take food going spare from the police to take home to his family, says the BBC's Mahfouz Zubaide in Kabul.
His killing is said to have taken place on Sunday but news only emerged on Monday as the provincial government condemned it and asked the public to report suspicious behaviour and people. Both boys may have gone through bins outside police and Isaf headquarters to find unused and expired packages of food, he adds.
Later on Monday Kandahar's provincial government posted an update saying that a 16-year-old had also been beheaded by the Taliban. In 2012 the Taliban were accused of beheading a 12-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl in south and east Afghanistan - the group denied responsibility in both those cases.
Correspondents say that the Taliban are known to attack those they suspect of colluding with police and that the Taliban regularly deny such atrocities. Correspondents say the Taliban regularly deny such atrocities. Taliban fighters in Afghanistan have been known to behead targets in the past, but have always denied attacking children in this way.
But Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi insisted to the BBC that the group had not beheaded any children in the area.
Taliban fighters in Afghanistan have been known to behead targets in the past, but have always denied attacking children in this way.