The Taliban kidnap more than 100 people in three buses, in Afghanistan

[Askor lml]

On Sunday, President Ashraf Ghani had announced a three-month ceasefire on the occasion of the Aid al-Adha.

 

The Taliban have kidnapped more than a hundred passengers from three buses in the province of Kunduz, in northern Afghanistan, according to official sources.

A group of Islamic fundamentalists has intercepted, on Monday morning, at least three buses loaded with passengers on an unsafe road in Khanabad district and have been transported to surrounding villages, according to Kunduz Police spokesman Inamullah Rahmani

The hostages, including women and children, were traveling from Kabul to the northeastern provinces of Takhar and Badakhshan to celebrate the Muslim festival of the Aid al-Adha or Celebration of Sacrifice, which begins tomorrow.

According to Rahmani, the Taliban had set up a checkpoint in the area to identify the members of the army who are currently traveling to their home villages through Aíd al Adha.

The spokesman for the provincial governor, Esmatullah Muradi, has confirmed that so far the security forces have managed to rescue some women and children, while an operation is underway to release the rest of the passengers.

Between 2014 and 2016, the Taliban and other armed groups have carried out several kidnappings of passengers on roads in different parts of the country; in some cases, ending with the execution of the hostages. Although the trend has fallen recently, there is still insecurity on the roads of the troubled provinces of Afghanistan.

In June 2016, the Taliban executed 12 passengers, mostly civilians, in the south of the country, and kidnapped 47 in the north.

On Sunday, President Ashraf Gani announced a three-month ceasefire with the Taliban on the occasion of Aíd al-Adha, with the condition that the jihadist training also implement the measure.