De-miners killed in Farah

ZARANJ/FARAH CITY (PAN): Four of the 32 kidnapped employees of a landmine clearing organization have been killed in captivity five days after being abducted, an official said.

On Wednesday, unidentified gunmen seized 32 employees of the Demining Agency for Afghanistan (DAFA), a non-governmental organisation that clears landmines. They were abducted from Bala Baluk district in the western province of Farah. Four of the workers have been killed by their captors, Col. Mohammad Ghaus, Farah intelligence chief, told Pajhwok Afghan News.

One body was found this morning, he said, in Bakwa district.

He said a delegation of tribal elders had been sent to enter a dialogue with the kidnappers and collect the bodies of the dead.

Farah’s governor has also discussed the matter with elders, asking them to make efforts to secure the release of the remaining kidnapped workers, Ghaus said.

The head of DAFA, Abdul Sami, confirmed transferring the dead body of one of the employees.

The kidnappers had not yet made any demands in exchange for the release of the workers, he said, confirming that talks were in place between the kidnappers and elders.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said the Taliban had not played a role in the kidnappings.

oh/ma/at

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