The Afghan Islam Press quotes Taleban officials as saying they have executed three supporters of Afghan tribal leader Hamid Karzai.
A-I-P says the three were hanged today (Saturday) in Uruzgan province, although that report has not been independently confirmed. The victims were among 25 supporters of Mr. Karzai said to have been captured (Thursday) during a clash with Taleban troops. The fate of the other captives is unknown.
The Taleban are still searching for Mr. Karzai, who escaped capture while on a mission to meet with other Pashtun tribal leaders to convince them to join the struggle against the Taleban.
Hamid Karzai, a close ally of the exiled former king, Zahir Shah, was deputy foreign minister in Afghanistan's pre-Taleban government. He recently slipped into Afghan territory, and has been working to organize a broad-based post-Taleban government under the guidance of the former king.
Last week, the Taleban captured and executed former opposition commander Abdul Haq, who had also re-entered Afghanistan to win support for an anti-Taleban uprising.