A video circulating on social media has drawn global attention, showing a public execution in Khost, eastern Afghanistan. According to several news reports, including the Associated Press, a man accused of killing 13 members of a family, nine of them children, was executed in a crowded stadium on Tuesday.

What shocked many viewers even more was that, the execution was carried out by a 13-year-old boy, whose own family members were among the victims. The stadium in Khost was filled with tens of thousands of people. Reports estimate that nearly 80,000 people gathered both inside and outside to watch the execution. In the video, the crowd can be seen tightly packed together. When the execution took place, five gunshots were fired, and the people shouted religious slogans.

According to Taliban authorities, the convicted man, identified as Mangal, son of Tala Khan, had murdered a man named Abdul Rahman and 12 other members of his extended family about ten months ago. The killings took place in the Ali Shir and Terezio districts. The Taliban said that the case had gone through all levels of their court system, including the Supreme Court.

In their statement, Afghanistan’s Supreme Court said that the execution was carried out under the Islamic principle of Qisas, which means retaliation or “an eye for an eye.” The victims’ families were reportedly given a choice to forgive the killer, which could have saved his life. However, they chose the death penalty. The 13-year-old boy, who lost relatives in the attack, was asked if he wanted to pardon the man. When he refused, he was allowed to fire the fatal shot.

This execution marks the 11th public judicial killing carried out by the Taliban since they returned to power in 2021. Their government has brought back strict forms of punishment under their version of Sharia law, including public executions, floggings, and other harsh penalties. These practices are similar to those seen during their earlier rule in the late 1990s.

Human rights groups and international organisations have strongly criticised such actions. Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, called public executions “inhumane” and said they violate international law. He urged the Taliban to stop such punishments immediately. Even though some local supporters claim these actions represent strong justice, many global observers argue that the Taliban’s justice system lacks fairness, transparency, and proper legal procedures.