In Geneva, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights says serious human rights abuses have been taking place in Afghanistan. Incidents include the mass execution of prisoners of war and massacres of civilians. Imogen Foulkes reports:

A UN investigator has just returned from Afghanistan and in a press briefing a UN spokesman said there was evidence many of the warring parties have been committing serious violations of human rights. He said several mass graves were discovered in northern Afghanistan, where the UN was told 2,000 people had been killed.

The dead appear to have been members of the Taleban militia who had been taken prisoner and members of other local militias. Although the exact number of dead can't be confirmed, the UN says the manner of death was horrendous.

Prisoners were thrown alive into wells or shot if they resisted. Around nine wells were used and a UN forensic expert estimates there could be up to 100 bodies in each.

In other mass graves the UN found evidence that prisoners had been lined up and shot. Nearly all the bodies recovered had their hands tied behind their backs.