Taliban authorities have reportedly publicly executed five Afghans for spying for the US.
The Frontier Postnewspaper in Pakistan said the executions were in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
The newspaper quoted a Taliban Information Ministry official.
The official said two of the five were commanders of the opposition Northern Alliance who were distributing arms among civilians.
Representatives of the Northern Alliance say a small group of Americans was accompanying opposition forces near Mazar-i-Sharif.
They said the US group included at least six members who were gathering information about Taliban installations, which could be targeted during future US air strikes.
The US group is said to be working in collaboration with the forces of Northern Alliance leader General Rashid Dostum, according to the newspaper.
PA