17 Civilians Beheaded by Taliban for Mixed-Sex Party

The Taliban, who openly beat women and girls in the street, maintain a medieval view of flirting or any open displays of affection between men and women.

File photo of Taliban

(KABUL) - The Taliban beheaded Fifteen men and two women in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province over the weekend. Taliban insurgents chose the extreme measures as punishment for a mixed-sex party with music and dancing, officials said.

The decapitated bodies were found in a house near the Musa Qala district, which is about 75 km (46 miles) north of the provincial capitol, Lashkar Gah, according to District Governor Nimatullah, who only goes by one name.

"The victims threw a late-night dance and music party when the Taliban attacked" on Sunday night, Nuimatullah told Reuters.

Many may not realize that in this U.S. ally; ultra-conservative Afghanistan, men and women are not allowed to publicly meet or associate unless they are related. It isn't like parties don't take place, but those involving both genders together are rare and highly secretive events.

The Taliban, who openly beat women and girls in the street, maintain a medieval view of flirting or any open displays of affection between men and women. Any such actions are vehemently condemned.

According to witnesses of a major attack that killed 20 near Kabul in June, Taliban gunmen who stormed a high-ended hotel demanded to know where the "prostitutes and pimps" were.

The Taliban said it launched that attack on Qarga Lake because the hotel was used for "wild parties".

Source: agencies