No effort spared in rescuing hostages: Ulumi

KABUL (Pajhwok): Interior Minister Noorul Haq Ulumi on Thursday said recent kidnapping of passengers on highways were aimed at putting pressure on the government and sabotaging the peace process.

About a month ago, masked gunmen snatched 31 passengers from two buses on the road between capital Kabul and western Herat province in the Shahjoy district of southern Zabul province. Their fate remains unknown.

Days after, 11 civilians were kidnapped by armed men in Sancharak district northern Sar-i-Pul province and later 23 persons, going from Kandahar to Daikundi, were kidnapped in southern Helmand province.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for these kidnappings, which sparked protests in Kabul, Bamyan and other provinces.

Ulumi said Afghan security forces had spared no effort in rescuing the 31 hostages and severely harmed the enemy in the rescue mission in Zabul.

He said a number of individuals had been detained in connection with the hostage-taking and a political dialogue through tribal elders was ongoing besides military operations to secure safe release of the passengers.

“It is possible the kidnappers have no links with terrorists and they might have kidnapped the men on personal problems or to put pressure on the government and to derail the peace process.”

He cited the kidnapping in central Uruzgan province, saying the kidnappers had demanded removal of check posts. He said there could be several demands, but the move was to bring under question the credibility of the unity government.

hs/ma

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