KABUL, Afghanistan - The seven, all taxi drivers, had been traveling on a road between the districts of Daichopan and Arghandab in the troubled province of Zabul when they were stopped by a group of
After being briefly detained, the men managed to negotiate their release. But as they drove away, the
The spokesman said that none of the seven worked for the authorities. The
However, Rasoolyar said he believed they were killed to intimidate civilians and show area residents not to use that road, which he said the
The volatile province of Zabul lies just north of Kandahar, a traditional Taliban stronghold which along with neighboring Helmand has been the focus of much of the fighting in recent months.