KABUL: Afghanistan says it has executed one of the country’s most dangerous criminals, a man who was charged with a string of armed robberies, kidnappings and killings of Afghans and foreigners across the country.

The national intelligence service said that Raees Khudaidad was hanged at Kabul’s main prison on Saturday morning in the presence of senior officials from the country’s judiciary and attorney general’s office.

Officials say Khudaidad operated a crime ring that operated in several countries, and that he had lived in Pakistan, Tajikistan and the United Arab Emirates under different identities.

He was believed responsible for dozens of killings.

Khudaidad was arrested during a special security force operation in Kabul last year.

A report issued recently by the United Nations said the Afghan militants’ involvement in criminal activity appeared to have increased.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2015

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