Pro-Daesh militants kill 30 civilians in Afghanistan

UPDATES WITH TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY STATEMENT

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

Afghan militants with reported pro-Daesh links have killed at least 30 civilians they had earlier taken captive, officials said Wednesday.

Local officials said the civilians, including women and children, were abducted while gathering firewood in the mountains of the central Ghor province this week but were shot dead on Tuesday.

According to Abdul Hai Khatibi, the Ghor provincial governor's spokesman, the civilians were killed by the group in retaliation for the death of one of their commanders, who was killed Tuesday by Afghan security forces.

He told Anadolu Agency that Afghan forces have been involved in offensives to counter militants in the area.

Officials have claimed the fighters supported the Syria-based terrorist group Daesh, though no group has yet taken responsibility.

Turkey has strongly condemned the killings of "innocent people", saying the incident "has once again demonstrated the cruel face of terrorism."

"We reiterate our conviction that the perpetrators of these heinous acts targeting efforts to establish peace and stability in Afghanistan will not achieve their goal, and that it will further strengthen the determination of the Afghan government in its fight against terrorism," the foreign ministry said in a statement.