Afghans protest against alleged massacres

Protests have taken place in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar against the alleged mass execution of Taleban prisoners of war earlier this year in the north of the country.

Thousands of demonstrators accused the United Nations of having failed to act to prevent the alleged executions and demanded the punishment of those responsible for the killings.

The commander of the northern anti-Taleban alliance, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, has revealed several mass grave sites.

He accuses his rival, General Abdul Malik, of being responsible for the executions.

General Malik denies the accusations.

A BBC correspondent in the region says General Malik, was the only northern commander who refused to allow independent observers to visit prisoners under his care.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service