Roundup: armed men abduct 30 passengers in S. Afghanistan

Unknown armed men had intercepted two buses in Shahjoi district of Zabul province with Qalat as its capital 340 km south of Kabul and kidnapped 30 passengers on Monday, provincial police chief Ghulam Sakhi Rogh Lewani said Tuesday.

"A group of unknown armed men stopped two buses in Shahjoi district of Zabul province Monday at 02:40 p.m. local time and took 30 commuters to unknown locations," Lewani told Xinhua.

The abductors took 20 passengers from one bus and 10 others from the other, the official said, adding that the abductors had taken the abductees to Khak-e-Afghan area.

He also said the kidnapped were going from Herat to the capital city Kabul when they were abducted and taken away.

Earlier, Acting Governor of Zabul province, Mohammad Ashraf Nasiri, in talks with media blamed Taliban militants for the abduction.

Taliban militants have yet to claim responsibility.

Some locals pointed fingers at militants loyal to the so-called Islamic State, known as Daesh, for the abduction.

However, the Zabul police chief, in talks with Xinhua, accused an armed commander Abdullah, alias Hakmal, who is leading an armed group in the area of kidnapping the 30 passengers.

The Zabul police chief also said efforts are underway to secure the safe release of the abductees. Endi