5 boys killed for Playing Volleyball

IT WAS the most harmless and innocent of acts with the deadliest of consequences.
A game of volleyball in eastern Afghaistan ended in tragedy after five boys were shot dead by militants.

"The young boys, who were school students, were playing volleyball in a village in Alingar district at 12.30pm ... a group of gunmen from the nearby village came and shot them," Sarhdai Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor of Laghman, said.

"The shooters, who are surely members of the armed opposition, fled the area," Zwak said, implying the attack was carried out by Taliban militants.

"It is not clear yet why they shot dead the boys, but it is clear that the enemies of Afghans cannot tolerate our sports achievements. So, they restore cowardly attacks."

Last week, four young footballers were killed in the southern province of Kandahar when a rocket, allegedly fired by Taliban militants, struck the football field.

It wouldn't be the first time children have been killed over an apparent harmless act.

Last year, two teenage Pakistani sisters were killed for dancing in the rain and offending the conservative men in their village.

Noon Basra and Noor Sheza, from Pakistan, were murdered after mobile footage of the girls emerged.

The footage caused outrage in the conservative town and they were shot dead, alongside their mother, by five gunmen.