A Young Afghan woman stoned to death for eloping with man her own age

A  Young Afghan woman stoned to death for eloping with man her own age

KABUL:  A young Afghan woman who was married against her will has been stoned to death by extremists after she was caught eloping with another man, local officials told AFP on Tuesday.

A graphic video of the stoning shows the woman, named as Rokhsahana, aged between 19 and 21, in a hole in the ground as men almost casually hurl stones at her with sickening thuds.

Rokhsahana was heard repeating the shahada, or Muslim profession of faith, her voice growing increasingly high-pitched in the nearly 30-second clip run in Afghan media. Local authorities confirmed the footage.

The killing took place about a week ago in Ghalmeen, an area some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Ghor provincial capital of Firozkoh, governor Seema Joyenda said.

Rokhsahana had been "stoned to death by Taliban, local religious leaders and irresponsible armed warlords," Ms Joyenda told AFP.

Seema Joyenda, one of Afghanistan's only two female governors, said that according to authorities' information Rokhsahana's family had "married her to someone against her will and she was eloping with a man her age".

She condemned the stoning, calling on Kabul to take action to "clean the area".

"This is the first incident in this area but will not be the last. Women in general have problems all over the country, but especially in Ghor... The man with whom she was eloping has not been stoned."

In addition to serving as a chilling reminder of life under Taliban rule, the crime echoes another horrific case earlier this year in which a 28-year-old woman named Farkhunda was killed by an angry mob after being falsely accused of burning the Koran. Four men were sentenced to death for their roles in that crime and several others were jailed for not intervening.