The United Nations has given detailed accusations of widespread killings and atrocities by Taleban forces in Afghanistan when they took over the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif in August.

A report by a special UN investigator said up to eight-thousand people may have been massacred in a killing frenzy directed mainly at the Hazara Shi'ite minority.

Some of the victims had their throats slit, or were bayonetted to death.

However, UN officials acknowledge privately that few of the accusations can be corroborated, and note that the witnesses included some of the Taleban's fiercest critics.The Taleban have described the UN findings as baseless.