Afghanistan: Four aid workers abducted
Event- Country
- Afghanistan
- Initial Date
- Sep 26, 2010
- Event Description
On 26 September 2009, a UK aid worker and three local staff were kidnapped in Afghanistan. They were in a two-car convoy in the eastern province of Kunar when the vehicles were stopped by armed men. The woman, who was employed by US aid group DAI and is thought to have worked for the UN before that, has not been identified. The group was taken away into nearby mountains on foot, and the area was being searched with tribal elders. The US military, which has a strong presence in the area, is also thought to be involved in the search. A farmer witnessed the abduction but the area is so remote that it was two hours before he was able to reported the incident to police.The terrain of the area is difficult and dangerous - it is mountainous and wooded, which would hamper any search efforts from the air. Various armed groups operate in the area and the location of the abduction is not thought to be under government control. Afghans and foreigners can be targeted by gangs seeking ransom money, but they are sometimes sold on to militant groups.
- Impact of Event
- 4
- Violation
- Abduction/Kidnapping
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Not active
- Event Location
Latitude: 35.34387
Longitude: 71.52526
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 26 September 2009, a UK aid worker and three local staff were kidnapped in Afghanistan. They were in a two-car convoy in the eastern province of Kunar when the vehicles were stopped by armed men. The woman, who was employed by US aid group DAI and is thought to have worked for the UN before that, has not been identified. The group was taken away into nearby mountains on foot, and the area was being searched with tribal elders. The US military, which has a strong presence in the area, is also thought to be involved in the search. A farmer witnessed the abduction but the area is so remote that it was two hours before he was able to reported the incident to police.The terrain of the area is difficult and dangerous - it is mountainous and wooded, which would hamper any search efforts from the air. Various armed groups operate in the area and the location of the abduction is not thought to be under government control. Afghans and foreigners can be targeted by gangs seeking ransom money, but they are sometimes sold on to militant groups.