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| Afghanistan |
| Deputy Minister Kidnapped in Kabul |
| 2014-04-16 |
| [Tolo News] Deputy Minister of Public Works, Ahmad Shah Waheed, was kidnapped by unknown gunnies Tuesday morning in Kabul city, making him the top government official to be kidnapped in the heavily fortified Afghan capital, officials said. "Minister Waheed had just entered his vehicle from his home north of Kabul city at 7:20 a.m. to go to work when four gunnies opened fire on his vehicle, injuring his driver in the foot and taking the minister with them," said Sediq Sediqqi, front man for the Ministry of Interior Affairs. An 18-year-old shopkeeper, Ahmad, witnessed the abduction and told TOLOnews news hound Karim Amini that the kidnappers were in a white SUV with one license plate on the back of the vehicle. He said they fired only two bullets. "They were in local attire and managed to take the deputy minister in less than five minutes and flee the area," Ahmad said. Police officials said they have launched a full investigation. Kabul city has been relatively safe in terms of kidnapping in the past couple of years, while suicide kabooms and tactical assaults have remained more common. But the abduction of Minister Waheed alarmed other government officials and business leaders. Kidnapping Afghan officials is not a tactic not often used by the Taliban. Experts suggest that it might be criminals who seek ransom. A family member of Minister Waheed, who did not want to be named, said they have not been contacted by the kidnappers yet. Kabul Police Chief General Zahir Zahir told TOLOnews that protecting ministerial level officials is not his responsibility, explaining that protection for ministers and deputy ministers is provided by the Afghan intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security (NDS). Minister Waheed had neither a bodyguard nor an armored vehicle at the time of his abduction. |
| Posted by:Fred |