Five civilians were shot dead in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, an official said on Saturday.
The victims are of Hazara ethnicity, who were kidnapped a week ago in Ajristan district after gunmen intercepted a vehicle and took them hostage, a provincial official told Xinhua news agency.
"The five civilians were shot dead by the kidnappers late on Friday," the official said.
They were killed after tribal elders' mediation failed to secure their release, he added.