KABUL Afghanistan's opposition on Tuesday accused the ruling Taleban of massacring hundreds of civilian families since the militia recaptured Bamiyan city nine days ago. Following the fall of Bamiyan city, reports reaching the alliance high command have confirmed the massacres of hundreds of innocent civilian families, senior opposition commander General Sayed Hussain Anwari said. Independent sources said they could not confirm whether the recent battles in Bamiyn had turned into a massacre of civilians.

But they said rumours of a massacre had escalated in Kabul during recent days and they were able to confirm other claims including the systemic razing of civilian homes. Anwari said residential houses in the central Afghan city had been burned to the ground and a terror campaign against ethnic Hazaras had been extended to neighbouring Yakawlang and surrounding districts. We're getting rumours more and more each day of a massacre, one Western aid worker said.

Another European aid worker said We know the houses were burnt and there are a lot of differences between the Taleban who are ethnic Pasthoon and the Hazaras who populate Bamiyan. (AFP)