Afghan mother, daughter stoned and shot dead

GlobalPost

A mother and daughter were stoned and shot dead on Friday in their home in eastern Afghanistan by two armed men, security officials said.

The men, who accused the young widow and her daughter of "immoral activities," entered their home in Ghazni city, about 4:00 am local time, Agence France Presse reported.

Security officials said the men took the pair out to the yard, where they were first stoned, and then shot dead, the BBC reported.

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The attack took place in the city's Khawaja Hakim area, about 300 meters from the governor's office, which is due to be transferred to Afghan security control.

Ghazni provincial police chief Zilawar Zahid said the Taliban was responsible, and that two men had been arrested. He denied that the women were stoned to death, AFP reported.

In parts of Afghanistan, women's rights have improved since the Taliban were forced from power, but in places where militant activity is rife, such as Ghazni, many still face persecution.

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