Taliban militants beheaded two boys — including one who was only age 10 — for spying in the southern Afghanistan district of Kandahar, law enforcement reported Monday.
The 10-year-old reportedly was spying in part to help feed his family. He was poor and regularly accepted excess food and handouts from police in the Zhari district, the BBC reported. The other boy who was beheaded for spying was 16, but little else is known about him.
Taliban officials deny they beheaded any children. But in 2012, members were accused of a similar crime — of beheading a 12-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl, BBC reported. And it’s widely reported that Taliban militants frequently attack those who are suspected of supplying information to police. At the same time, the Taliban just as frequently have denied ever including children in those attacks, BBC reported.
The governor of Kandahar has condemned the beheadings as contrary to Islam, BBC reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.