Taliban kidnap engineers in Badghis

QALA-I-NAW (PAN militants kidnapped three engineers at the statistics department along with their driver in the Maqur district of northwestern Badghis province, officials said on Thursday.

The four were seized in the Qala-i-Bandbai village on Tuesday evening, the police chief said. Col. Mohammad Jabar Saleh told Pajhwok Afghan News they were trying to secure the release of the engineers with the mediation of tribal elders.

The engineers had gone to the area to assess the danger of possible natural disasters in the district, said the statistics department head, Abdul Haleem.

He added the engineers had contacted him after being kidnapped by a local Taliban commander. Efforts are underway in cooperation with tribal elders and security forces to ensure their release, according to the director.

A tribal elder, Haji Moinuddin, said: “The officials came here without informing us.” Security personnel had asked elders to negotiate with the Taliban commander, Toofan, the safe release of the engineers.

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