Afghan woman executed in public

• Tweet

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 8 (UPI) -- A woman, accused of adultery, died after being fired on several times in an Afghan village, a video of the public execution showed, CBS Evening News reported.

The video showed the woman died in a village in Parwan province near Kabul and that village males cheered after the woman was killed, the report said. Some were quoted as cheering "Long live the Afghan Mujahedeen," the name given to the Taliban.

Gov. Abdul Basir Salangi told CBS News his province, though peaceful until now, has seen the Taliban's influence growing.

The governor was quoted as saying two Taliban commanders had been disputing over the woman.

CNN, citing the amateur video, reported at least nine shots were fired at the woman by a man standing a few feet away. The report said the woman slumped after the third shot, but the man continued firing.

Salangi was quoted as saying the two Taliban commanders accused the woman of adultery to save face. He said the two commanders were later killed by a third Taliban commander. It was not known when the incident occurred but it took place in the village of Qimchok, north of Kabul, the report said.

"We went there to investigate and we are still looking for people who were involved in this brutal act," CNN quoted the governor as saying.

Afghan Parliament Member Fawzia Koofi said the incident was a big step backward for women's issues in the country, adding the victim "didn't even say one word to defend herself."

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul said in a statement the killing was a "cold-blooded murder," noting protection of women's rights is critical around the world, especially in Afghanistan.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force said in a statement NATO's commander, Gen. John Allen, joined the Afghan government and the Afghanistan Human Rights Commission in condemning the woman's execution.

"Let's be clear, this wasn't justice, this was murder, and an atrocity of unspeakable cruelty. The Taliban's continued brutality toward innocent civilians, particularly women, must be condemned in the strongest terms," the general said.

"There has been too much progress made by too many brave Afghans, especially on the part of women, for this kind of criminal behavior to be tolerated. ISAF stands with the people of Afghanistan."

Reports of the execution come at a time when the International Afghan Donors Conference meeting in Tokyo Sunday pledged about $16 billion in international assistance over the next four years. Improvement of rights of Afghan women is one of the conditions for the aid.