KABUL Religious squads of Afghanistan's ruling Taleban militia have burned musical instruments and punished more than 80 men who had trimmed their beards in violation of its Islamic code, state radio reported Saturday as carried by AFP. The musical instruments along with recently seized hashish were torched at a main intersection in Taloqan, the capital of northeastern Takhar Province, the official Radio Shariat said, their owners were punished in order to teach a "lesson" to others, the radio said, without giving the exact date of the operations.

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