This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/afghan-mine-removal-workers-kidnapped-released-after-seven-hours/2014/01/21/2c467be6-8291-11e3-9dd4-e7278db80d86_story.html?wprss=rss_middle-east
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Afghan land-mine removal workers kidnapped, released after seven hours | Afghan land-mine removal workers kidnapped, released after seven hours |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| KABUL — Dozens of land-mine clearing workers were kidnapped and held for seven hours in Afghanistan on Tuesday, the largest mass abduction in the country in years and the latest sign of worsening militant activity. | KABUL — Dozens of land-mine clearing workers were kidnapped and held for seven hours in Afghanistan on Tuesday, the largest mass abduction in the country in years and the latest sign of worsening militant activity. |
| The 63 men were freed after village elders intervened and security forces flooded the district where they were held, said Farid Homayoun, manager of the Afghanistan program of the British land-mine removal organization Halo Trust, which employs the workers. | |
| “They were released unharmed,” Homayoun said. “The Taliban have apparently said they were not behind it, and the identity of the kidnappers is not clear to us.” | “They were released unharmed,” Homayoun said. “The Taliban have apparently said they were not behind it, and the identity of the kidnappers is not clear to us.” |
| The workers were seized from their office in the restive Pashtun Zarghun district of western Herat province, Gov. Sayed Fazlullah Wahidi said. Ten armed men came to the site on motorbikes and forced the employees to drive to a nearby village, Homayoun said. | The workers were seized from their office in the restive Pashtun Zarghun district of western Herat province, Gov. Sayed Fazlullah Wahidi said. Ten armed men came to the site on motorbikes and forced the employees to drive to a nearby village, Homayoun said. |
| “The gunmen opened fire on our vehicles, causing damage to them, and then took the employees to a mountain,” Homayoun said. “Eight of them managed to flee.” | “The gunmen opened fire on our vehicles, causing damage to them, and then took the employees to a mountain,” Homayoun said. “Eight of them managed to flee.” |
| Abduction has become a lucrative business for insurgents and criminal groups in Afghanistan, where U.S., NATO and Afghan forces are trying to suppress a resurgent Taliban. | Abduction has become a lucrative business for insurgents and criminal groups in Afghanistan, where U.S., NATO and Afghan forces are trying to suppress a resurgent Taliban. |
| Militants in the past have freed some captives after apparent payment of ransom. But they have also killed captives when their demands were not met. | |
| Homayoun and an officer with Mine Action Coordination of Afghanistan, the main umbrella body for mine-clearance groups in the country, said the motive for Tuesday’s abductions was not immediately clear. | Homayoun and an officer with Mine Action Coordination of Afghanistan, the main umbrella body for mine-clearance groups in the country, said the motive for Tuesday’s abductions was not immediately clear. |
| The abductions come after suicide attacks and other insurgent activity in various parts of the country in recent weeks. | |
| On Friday evening, militants stormed a well-known Lebanese restaurant in the heart of Kabul and killed 21 people, including the proprietor of the restaurant and 13 foreigners — three of whom were American. | On Friday evening, militants stormed a well-known Lebanese restaurant in the heart of Kabul and killed 21 people, including the proprietor of the restaurant and 13 foreigners — three of whom were American. |