Taliban kidnaps Lebanese engineer in southern Afghanistan
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-08-16 13:56

Taliban militants kidnapped a Lebanese engineer and four Afghans in southern Afghanistan Sunday night, an Afghan official said on Tuesday.

Ahmad Reza, the Lebanese engineer who was working for a Turkish road construction company, was kidnapped in Qalat, capital of Zabul province, Guldd Shah Alikhel, a spokesman of Zabul governor told Xinhua.

Four Afghans were released while the searching operation is underway, said the spokesman.

Taliban spokesperson Latif Hakimi claimed that they have kidnapped the engineer, saying "the engineer is in good condition, but we haven't decided on his fate yet."

Some 30 suspected Taliban militants were killed and 28 were captured in renewed violence in southern Afghanistan, said Afghan officials on Monday.

According to Afghan defense ministry, a bloody clash between Afghan troops and Taliban occurred Sunday in Zabul province, which left 16 insurgents killed, and one captured.

In eastern Afghanistan, Afghan and US troops in their attempts to get rid the violence-hit province of Kunar from the rebels, launched a big offensive against militants in Karengal valley early Saturday but the outcome has yet to be made public.

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