Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan on Thursday killed two car dealers they accused of spying for the government and US-led coalition forces, an official said, AFP reported.
The men were shot dead in the eastern province of Khost, Yaqubi district governor Dawlat Khan Qayoumi told AFP.
"They were two car dealers who were killed by armed men and they had no affiliation with the Afghan government or foreign forces," Qayoumi said.
A man who claimed to be Taliban commander in the district telephoned AFP and claimed responsibility for killings.
"They were spying for the government and the coalition forces, and we killed them," said the militant, refusing to be identified.
The Islamist Taliban were in government between 1996 and 2001, when they were ousted in a US-led invasion.
They are waging a growing insurgency to take back power and regularly kill people they accuse of spying as part of an intimidation campaign.