Armed men from the terror group Islamic State (IS) have kidnapped 12 mine removal staff working for an Afghan organization in the country's Kunar province, an official said on Thursday.
The kidnapping of the members of the Agency for Rehabilitation and Energy Conservation in Afghanistan (AREA), which clears mines, took place in Manogai province, provincial governor's spokesperson Abdul Ghani Musamim was quoted as saying by Efe news.
The remote and mountainous district of Kunar has very little presence of Afghan security forces and several armed groups have settled in the area, starting with the Taliban and now IS members expelled from the neighbouring Nangarhar province.
The demining employees were working there following a request from the tribal leaders, Musamim said. The tribal leaders are now trying to mediate in the liberation process with the support of local authorities, he added.
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