Taliban free 16 civilians in Farah

FARAH (PAN in the Gulistan district of western Farah province, have been freed, an official said on Sunday.

Efforts by the Farah governor and tribal elders led to the release of the individuals seized in the Toot area, Maj. Mohammad Ghaus Malyar, the deputy police chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News. 

The insurgents had so far killed two of the captives, Malyar said, indicating that the remaining men would be freed today.

Earlier, the rebels had claimed kidnapping 35 local policemen in Toot and Mughul Abad areas. But the police chief said the victims were civilians.

On July 6, 32 workers of the Demining Agency for Afghanistan were kidnapped in Bala Baluk district. Twenty-eight of them were set free later on, while four were killed by their captors.

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