The bodies of five armed robbers were strung up in public after being killed in two separate incidents in the western province of Herat this week, sources said.
According to the sources, the bodies of three people were hanged in Jebriel district in Herat on Tuesday, Feb. 21, after they were killed during an armed robbery. Two more armed robbers were killed in a clash with the Taliban in Herat city’s PD5 on Wednesday morning. Their bodies were strung up in the city for three hours.
Mushtaq Ahmad, a resident of Jebriel district, said that two of the three hanged in Jebriel district were stabbed by a newly-wed woman at her home in the district while the third, who was waiting outside for his accomplices, was killed by the Taliban.
“The three entered a home in our area last night… They asked for money. The family did not have money. Then they tried to attack the bride, and then they were stabbed by the bride,” said Ahmad.
After the incident, the Taliban informed the family that all three had died.
Herat residents said two others were killed when robbing people in Herat city’s police district 5.
“Two people riding a motorbike were stopping people and robbing them of their belongings when they were confronted by the Taliban and were killed,” said Mahmoud, a Herat resident.
“Even if someone attempts a robbery, hanging them affects people’s minds and creates horror,” said another Herat resident.
Taliban’s police command in Herat has confirmed the death of two of the people but has not commented on the three others.
A statement by the Taliban police command reads that the two people carried a gun with them and were riding a motorbike.
Taliban has in recent months hanged a number of people in Baghlan and Herat provinces. One person was also hanged in Farah in November 2022.
