1st LD Writethru: 10 bus passengers killed in N. Afghan kidnap attack

The Taliban militants on Tuesday intercepted three long-distance buses along a main road in Afghanistan's northern province of Kunduz, kidnapping over 180 passengers besides the drivers, the provincial police department said.

"Over 160 passengers were released. Ten passengers were killed by militants for several reasons while 18 persons still remain in Taliban custody," it said in a statement issued here at around midday.

The incident occurred roughly at 3:30 a.m. local time in Ali Abad District, outside the provincial capital Kunduz city, according to the statement.

The statement said the police and the local elders have stepped up efforts to free the remaining 18 persons.

Earlier reports said that 16 to 17 persons were killed in the incident.

Taliban militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack. They told local media that the killed people were members of Afghan security forces.

The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since early April when the militant group launched its annual offensive in different areas of the country.

The Taliban have urged civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centers regarded as the legitimate targets by militants besides warning people not to support the government.

About 600 civilians were killed and more than 1,340 others wounded in conflict-related violence and Taliban-led militancy in the first quarter of the year, according to UN mission in Afghanistan. Endit