Taliban insurgents killed six abducted truck drivers in eastern Paktia province on Monday night after negotiations with relatives for their release failed. The relatives of the drivers said they were abducted 11 days ago while on the way to Khost province.

The slain drivers were residents of Kabul, Logar and Paktia provinces.

Bilal, son of one of the drivers claimed that the Taliban demanded his family pay 500,000 Afg for the release of his father.

"My father left home about one week ago and we were then told that my father was in Taliban hands," Bilal told TOLOnews. "The Taliban asked us 500,000 Afg, but when we could not pay they killed my father."

Other relatives spoke out against the Taliban's acts, accusing them of violating the very religion they claim to uphold.

"Those who killed these drivers have acted against Islam and they are cruel people," said Mohmmad Naser Khan, a relative of one of the drivers.

The families demanded the Afghan government take steps to provide better security for civilians against such abductions. Security officials of Paktia province acknowledged the news of the six drivers' death, but did not comment on the incident or any investigation into it.