Corpses of about 100 people have been found in a mass grave in southeastern Khost province.
Provincial officials say the bodies were discovered from an area near the Sheikh Zayed University during the construction of a check dam.
The mass grave, discovered two days ago, was dug up in the presence of locals and municipality on workers on Monday.
Khost Mayor Qari Bismillah Bilal said the bodies were of people killed and buried in 1979.
According to available clues, the victims looked to be civilians, Bilal added.
The remains contained only bones, which would be buried in a proper location by workers of the municipality, the mayor said.
Bilal said: “Work on the construction of a check dam was in progress when the mass grave was discovered. A committee was subsequently formed to dig up the grave.
“The workers found the bodies of at least 100 people, including clothes of women. Apparently, an entire family has been buried here.”
Haji Mandayer Mangal, who saw the scene, said these people were killed in 1979 in compliance with the order of the government of that time.
According to Mandayer, members of some families had been missing since that time.
He added: “At that time, there was no court or justice. This is brazen cruelty that cannot be forgiven.
“Heirs of the martyrs came here, but could not identify their family members, because the victims were buried and their bodies and bones are being dug out.”
Salam Sharifi, another resident of Khost province who was present on the scene, said: “My father has been missing since 1979. He might had been killed and buried here.”
However, he explained, no one could identify the remains of his father because it had been a long time.
He said: “The victims were brought here from prisons. With their hands tied up, they were brutally killed by the communist regime in 1979.
“We will never forget this cruelty. My father was one those killed in this manner,” he said, asking the government to re-bury the corpses in a proper place.
Earlier, more mass graves have been found in different parts of the country, reflecting the misery of the last five decades.
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