Taliban claim to have executed Afghan captive

The Taliban claim to have killed the Afghan translator of an Italian journalist kidnapped last month.

A spokesman for the insurgents said they executed Adjmal Naqshbandi after the government failed to meet their demand for the release of several Taliban prisoners.

The 23-year old was abducted on March 5th along with Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo and his Afghan driver in the volatile Helmand province.

The Italian was freed two weeks later in exchange for the release of five senior Taliban members but his driver was beheaded.

Two more foreigners – a French man and woman workign for an aid agency – were kidnapped last week in the neighbouring Nimroz province.

The Mastrogiacomo deal was widely criticised both in Italy and abroad as it was feared it would set a precedent for prisoner exchanges.

In a press conference on Friday, Afghan president Hamid Karzai ruled out any further prisoner swaps.

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