Daily Security Brief: January 19, 2012

GHAZNI: A moneychanger was kidnapped for ransom by unidentified gunmen in the Qarabagh district of southern Ghazni province, an official said on Thursday.

Darya Khan Kharotai went missing in the city on Wednesday afternoon, when he was on his way home, a local council member told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Haji Wakil Ahmad Mashal said the victim wielded a lot of influence in the area. He claimed the kidnappers with had asked for id=”mce_marker”00,000 in ransom.

But police chief, Brig. Gen, Zarawar Zahid, said he was unaware of the kidnap incident. An investigation would be launched soon, he added.  

A Ghazni University teacher and Darya Khan’s cousin, Ustad Mohammad Zalmai, said the man had been kidnapped by three motorcyclists. Kharotai was going home in his vehicle.

He claimed the gunmen opened fire at the villagers trying to rescue the man. One of the villagers was injured. “The kidnappers have sought id=”mce_marker”00,000 for freeing Kharotai.”

—Mirwais Himmat

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KABUL, the alliance said on Thursday.

The soldier was killed following an improvised explosive device (IED) attack late on Wednesday, the NATO-led force said in a brief statement.

In line with its policy, ISAF neither disclosed the exact location of the incident nor the nationality of the fallen servicemember.

Mostly American, British and Canadian soldiers are deployed to the restive south — the heartland of the Taliban insurgency.

With the latest fatality, the death toll for foreign forces in Afghanistan this year has increased to 17, including 14 Americans. Last year, 566 international soldiers were killed in the country.

—Pajhwok Report

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