Afghanistan's ruling Taliban have executed Izzatullah, nephew of slain former mujahideen commander Abdul Haq, and handed his body to relatives in the eastern city of Jalalabad, a relative said on Wednesday.

"We have got the body in Jalalabad yesterday (Tuesday) where he was buried alongside Mr Abdul Haq," said Mohammad Yusuf, a cousin of Izzatullah, speaking from Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar bordering Afghanistan. Commander Abdul Haq, a supporter of former Afghan King Zahir Shah, and at least two companions were summarily executed by the Taliban within hours of their capture after a gunbattle in Afghanistan late last month.
Haq, Izzatullah and several companions had slipped into Afghanistan in October to lobby for the former king against the Taliban, under attack by Washington for sheltering Osama Bin Laden, main suspect for September 11 attacks on the United States. Yusuf said there were no details of how and when 22-year-old Izzatullah, son of Haji Din Mohammad, was killed, but the Taliban had refused to let close family members travel to Afghanistan from Pakistan for the funeral.
"We don't know whether he was hanged or shot," Yusuf added.
Haq was buried at the family home in Surkhrod, near Jalalabad, and his death was seen as a major blow to those who favour the king, saddening thousands of Afghan exiles in Peshawar. Bureau Report