ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: Taliban fighters punished drivers without beards and confiscated music cassettes from vehicles and passengers when they briefly seized control of a highway in eastern Afghanistan, travellers said on Saturday.

The operation was carried out on Friday night by a group of 50 Taliban on a road linking the western part of Khost province with Gardez, provincial capital of adjoining Paktia, the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said.

Quoting unidentified sources in the area, the private news agency said the fighters set up a picket, raised their flag and searched vehicles.

Some clean-shaven drivers were punished with three strokes of a stick for violating the Shariat, it said.

They also snatched and smashed music cassettes and gave drivers pamphlets warning of harsh penalties.—AFP