|
Taliban kidnaps seven in Afghanistan, one dead
Armed Taliban militants abducted six musicians and an election worker in eastern Afghanistan, one of whom was later found dead, a local official said. The body of one musician was found today, one day after the group was kidnapped in Paktika province, provincial spokesman Hameedullah Jowak said. "One of the six musicians abducted on Saturday by Taliban was found dead in the district. We have no information on the fate of the other five," he said. The Taliban claimed responsibility, saying the hostages had flouted a ban on music, but denied killing the victim. "We abducted them after they continued to sing and play music despite a recent ban on music announced by Taliban. One of them died of a heart attack," said Abdul Wakil Mubariz, who claims to be the provincial Taliban commander. Jowak said armed militants had snatched the election worker from his house in the same province on Thursday. On Sunday, militants attacked a convoy en route to a coalition base in southern Ghazni province, sparking a gun battle in which three Taliban were killed, provincial spokesman Ismail Jahangir said. Posted by: Fred 2008-12-15 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=257279 |