Abducted health workers released in Ghor province

Monitoring Desk

FEROZKOH: Four health workers have been freed after spending a day in Taliban captivity in western Ghor province, officials said.

Abdul Hai Khatibi, the governor’s spokesman, told Afghan media News: “Taliban abducted the four health workers from a health facility in Saghar district on Saturday.”

He said the militants had threatened them to pay them at least 10 percent of their salaries; otherwise they would not allow them to continue with their jobs.

But local elders managed to secure their safe and unconditional release, he said, adding the abducted people included a doctor, a midwife, a vaccinator and a driver.

On the other hand, Public Health DirectorJuma Gul Yaqubi denied the workers had been kidnapped by Taliban.

The insurgents have also made no comment on the issue yet.