GARDEZ, Afghanistan: Taliban authorities in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday executed a convicted murderer by gunfire at a sports stadium, the sixth public execution since their return to power.

The condemned man was shot with three bullets to the chest by a member of the victim´s family in front of thousands of spectators in Gardez, the capital of Paktia province, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.

The evening before the execution the governor´s office called on officials and residents to “attend this event” on social media.

“A murderer was sentenced to retaliation punishment,” said a statement from Afghanistan´s supreme court which named the condemned as Mohammad Ayaz Asad.

The execution order was signed by the Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, the court said.

The convict had been in detention since before the Taliban came to power for killing another man, Habibullah Saif-ul-Qatal, and the case was “examined very precisely and repeatedly” by three military courts, the statement said.

The victim´s family was given the opportunity to stay the execution, but they refused, the statement added.

Among the crowd at the execution were several high-level officials, including Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. He heads the Haqqani network, a US-designated terrorist group long viewed as one of the most violent militant factions in Afghanistan.