2 Arrested in Torture of Afghan Girl KABUL, Afghanistan - The Afghan authorities have arrested the mother-in-law and sister-in-law of a 15-year-old girl who was severely tortured for months apparently in an attempt to force her into prostitution, Afghan officials said Monday. According to officials in northeastern Baghlan Province, the in-laws kept the girl, Sahar Gul, in a basement for six months, ripped her fingernails out, tortured her with hot irons and broke her fingers. She was rescued last week, after her uncle called the local police. "It is a violent act that is unacceptable in the 21st century," said an Interior Ministry spokesman, Sediq Sediqi. He added, "If the police had not arrived in time, she may have died." The case has shocked Afghanistan, though rights activists say serious abuses against women and girls in the conservative society are common. President Hamid Karzai has said that whoever used violence against Ms. Gul will be punished. The girl's husband is still being sought, said Mr. Sediqi, and she will be sent to India for medical treatment. Many Afghans with serious injuries or illnesses prefer to go to India or Pakistan for care because of poor medical services in Afghanistan. Ms. Gul was married about seven months ago. Jawad Basharat, spokesman for the provincial police chief in Baghlan, said an arrest warrant had been issued for her husband, who is serving in the Afghan Army. "After police found out about the small girl Sahar Gul they took action and found her in the basement of the house in very bad condition," Mr. Basharat said. Her nails were pulled out, she has injuries in all parts of her body, there are signs of burning on her body. She was suffering from different kinds of injuries. He said that her mother-in-law and other members of the family were reportedly involved in what he described as "criminal activities," which he said included selling alcohol and prostitution. According to preliminary reports, Mr. Basharat said, "they tried to force her into prostitution and she did not agree." This was one of the reasons that they detained her in the basement for six months. Rahima Zarifi, the provincial director of women's affairs in Baghlan, said a commission had been set up under Mr. Karzai's orders to investigate the case. Health Minister Suraya Dalil said that despite progress in women's rights, work remained to be done. "This is the very most extreme case that we have seen," Ms. Dalil said. It is an issue that shows that we are still need to work a lot with regard to education, with regard to awareness, with regard to social and economic development.