Mass grave found in Balkh’s Shortepa district

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): A mass grave containing the bodies of at least 13 people has been found in Shortepa district of northern Balkh province, officials said on Monday.

So far the remains of 13 people have been recovered from the gave located in Taza Omid village of the district, local officials said, adding that hands of the slain individuals were tied behind their backs and were in local dress.

Balkh police spokesman Sher Jan Durrani confirmed to Pajhwok Afghan News the discovery of the mass grave but he had no details. Durrani said a delegation would be soon sent to the area for investigation.

Balkh civil hospital director Khawja Noor Mohammad also told Pajhwok Afghan News a mass grave had been found in Shortepa district. “We have informally come to know about the mass grave.”

He said they were yet to receive official letters from the authorities concerned ordering a probe into the discovery.

Deputy spokesman for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission regional office in the northern zone, Taqi Wahidi, also confirmed the news and said so far the remains of 13 people had been recovered from the grave.

Mass graves have recently been found in Kabul and few other provinces.

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