2 children rescued, suspected abductors held in Nangarhar

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Two children, including little cricket player Ahmad Qureshi, have been released from captivity and handed over to their families, an official said on Wednesday.

The children were recovered from Behsud and Batikot districts of Nangarhar province during operations, which also led to the arrest of three suspected kidnappers.

Governor Shah Mahmood Miakhel, speaking to reporters here, expressed pleasure over the release of Rehanullah and Ahmad Qureshi. He followed up the issue of Qureshi’s abduction with local and central authorities.

He said Gen. Khoshal Sadaat, security secretary at the Ministry of Interior, led the operations. Miakhel added security forces in plainclothes conducted a raid in the Daman locality of Behsud. The kidnappers were unable to shift Qureshi to another place and were subsequently arrested.

He said one person had been arrested in Kabul. The governor hoped a massive network of abductors would be busted soon. He urged the judiciary to award severe punishment to those involved in abduction and murder of cases.

Miakhel said Rehanullah was another child abducted by Daesh rebels four months earlier. Two kidnappers, arrested by intelligence agents, admitted to abducting Rehanullah and later freed him in Batikot district. He was handed over to his family.

nh/mud