Afghanistan has sparked international outrage after a public execution video emerged showing a 13-year-old boy carrying out a death sentence in the eastern province of Khost.

According to Afghan and international media, the execution took place on Tuesday in a packed stadium where thousands had gathered to witness the killing of a man named Mangal, convicted of murdering 14 members of a local family, including nine children, around ten months ago.

Taliban officials said the case went through local courts up to the Supreme Court, which upheld the death penalty under qisas. The sentence was later approved by Taliban chief Hibatullah Akhundzada.

An estimated 80,000 people were present inside and outside the stadium, with videos showing crowds filling every available space. As the gunshot rang out, the crowd erupted in chants.

The Supreme Court said the victim’s family had been given the option to forgive the convict but opted instead for retributive justice. Local media reported that the 13-year-old boy — a member of the slain family — was asked whether he wished to pardon the killer, but he refused and carried out the shooting himself.

Khost police confirmed the conviction, stating that the suspect had brutally murdered the entire family and was punished according to the law.

UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett condemned the public execution carried out by a 13-year-old boy.

“Such executions are a gross violation of human rights and dignity, and incompatible with Islamic law,” he wrote.