80 Afghans killed, 12 of them beheaded, in Taliban offensive – officials

A major Taliban offensive in eastern Afghanistan over the last week has killed at least 80 civilians and security personnel, with 12 victims beheaded, officials said Friday, as violence worsens with the withdrawal of US-led troops.

“The militants beheaded 12 civilians in four villages,” Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, deputy governor of Ghazni province, told AFP. “We do not have a precise figure, but we estimate 80 to 100 people were killed over the past one week.”