Taleban fighters 'kill captives'

Violence linked to the Taleban has risen after a lull over the winter

Taleban rebels in Afghanistan say they have killed a district police chief and seven other policemen captured last week in Kandahar province.

Taleban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi said Nanai Khan and the others were shot on the order of religious leaders.

His claims could not be verified by Afghan officials. The policemen were captured in Mian Nishin on Thursday.

Mr Hakimi said "trials" of the other abducted officials were continuing.

Kandahar province, a former stronghold of the deposed Taleban regime, has seen much of the upsurge in violence affecting south and east Afghanistan since a lull in insurgent activity over the winter.

Rockets fired

There are conflicting reports about how many policemen were abducted - the numbers range from 10 to 31.

Gen Salim Khan, deputy provincial police chief, said he had no information on the fate of those held. He said he believed 13 people had been captured.

The officials were taken in an attack on a convoy on the road from Kandahar to Mian Nishin district, about 90km (60 miles) to the north-east.

The Taleban spokesman said one of those taken was the chief of the district.

Gen Khan has denied reports that Taleban fighters attacked the town of Mian Nishin and said it remained under government control.

In a separate incident on Sunday, three rockets were fired into Kandahar, one of which landed close to the former home of Taleban leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, which now hosts US special forces. There were no casualties.

Nearly 400 people have died this year in violence linked to the Taleban - many of them suspected insurgents.