A woman has been stoned to death for attempting to escape a forced marriage in rural area of Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban.
The victim, identified only as Rokhshana, was accused of adultery after running away with another man from the western province of Ghor last week, according to Radio Free Europe.
A video allegedly showing the brutal killing has since been released, but has not yet been verified. In the 30-second clip, a group of men are seen throwing stones at a woman who is buried up to her neck in the ground. Amid her screams, the men are heard shouting "God is almighty".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Her death has sparked a global outcry but police in the region say there is little they can do. "The area is controlled by the Taliban," police chief Mustafa Mohseni told Al Jazeera. "The government will follow-up on the incident once the area comes under our authority."
Provincial governor Seema Joyenda, one of only two women to hold the position in the country, said that although stoning was now illegal in Afghanistan, such attacks were not uncommon. "This is the first incident in this area [this year] but will not be the last," she told the BBC.
Violence against women and the use of illegal Taliban courts remains rife in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, a young woman called Farkhunda was murdered and her body set on fire and thrown into a river by a mob of men who wrongly accused her of burning pages of the Koran.
-
August 24 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include Putin at Donald Trump's circus, gallons of whitewash, and a foldable cartoon
-
5 Post Office-approved cartoons about mail-in votingCartoons Artists take on reverse logic, Putin's election advice, and more
-
The battle of the weight-loss drugsTalking Point Can Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly regain their former stock market glory? A lot is riding on next year's pills
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
