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Foreign hostages in Afghanistan

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Kidnapping and hostage taking has become a common occurrence in Afghanistan following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Kidnappers include Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters and common criminal elements.

The following is a list of known foreign hostages in Afghanistan.

Table of contents

(killed-free-unknown)

Bangladesh

1 Released

*Noor Islam, a Bangladeshi aid worker, was working for Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), was kidnapped on September 15, 2007, in Lowgar Province, south of Kabul. On December 8, 2007, he was freed by the abductors.

Burma

1 Released

*A member of the International Committee of the Red Cross was kidnapped by the Taliban with a colleague from Macedonia and two Afghanis in Wardak Province on September 26, 2007. They were freed on September 29, 2007. They were freed on September 29, 2007.

Denmark

1 Released

*Nagieb Kahja, Danish journalist with Afghan background, was kidnapped in Kunar Province by Taliban on July 25, 2007. One the same day Nagieb Kahja was freed after few hours in captivity.

France

2 Released

*Eric Damfreville and Céline Cordelier, workers for Terre d'Enfance, were kidnapped with three Afghan aid workers on April 3, 2007 in Nimroz province. Cordelier was released on April 28, 2007, and Damfreville on May 11, 2007.

Germany

3 Released

*Norbert W., engineer of a U.S. construction company, was kidnapped by criminals on June 28, 2007, in the Delaram District of Farah Province. After $40.000 ransom were paid, Norbert W. was released one week later, on July 5, 2007.
*Christina Meier, a worker for Ora international, was kidnapped in Kabul on August 18, 2007, and appeared on a video the next day calling for the release of prisoners. She was freed on August 19, 2007 after Norwegian special forces helped Afghan National Police in storming the kidnappers' hiding place in Kabul.
*Rudolf Blechschmidt, an engineer, was kidnapped by Taliban on July 18, 2007, with his colleague Ruediger Diedrich in Wardak Province. His release had failed on September 26, 2007, but he was released on October 10, 2007.

1 Killed

*Ruediger Diedrich, an engineer, was kidnapped by Taliban on July 18, 2007, with his colleague Rudolf Blechschmidt in Wardak Province. He was found dead of gunshot wounds on July 21, 2007.

1 Unknown

*Harald Kleber, a former aid worker, living in Afghanistan since 2003, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in western Herat Province on December 16, 2007. He hasn't been heard from since. His fate is unknown. Harald Kleber is the longest-held foreign hostage in Afghanistan.

Serbia

1 Released

*Shqipe Habibi, an U.N. worker from Kosovo, was kidnapped on October 30, 2004 with two other workers. Habibi was freed on November 23, 2004.

India

2 Released

*P. Murali and G. Varadaiah, construction workers for B. Seenaiah & Company, were kidnapped by gunmen on December 6, 2003. They were released on December 24, 2003.

1 Killed

*K. Suryanarayan, a telecommunications worker for Al-Moayed, was kidnapped on April 28, 2006, and found beheaded on April 30, 2006.

Japan

2 Killed

*Jun Fukusho and Shinobu Hasegawa, two teachers who wanted to go sightseeing in Afghanistan, went missing after entering the country on August 8, 2005. They were found dead on September 1, 2005.

Italy

5 Released

*Clementina Cantoni, a worker for CARE International, was kidnapped in Kabul on May 16, 2005, apparently by a criminal gang. She was released on June 9, 2005.
*Gabriele Torsello, a freelance journalist, was kidnapped in Helmand Province on October 12, 2006, and released on November 3, 2006.
*Journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo is kidnapped on March 5, 2007, along with an Afghan journalist and her driver. Both Afghans are executed. Mastrogiacomo is released on March 19, 2007.
*Lorenzo D'Auria, one of two Italian soldiers and their translator, were kidnapped on September 22, 2007, while on patrol in Shindad district in Herat Province. On September 24, 2007, the NATO-led force had freed them. He died of injuries sustained during a NATO raid to free him.

Republic of Macedonia

4 Killed

*Fadil Zenuni, Lulzam Fidani, Besim Aliu and Sabid Tahiri, employees of Ecolog, were kidnapped on March 11, 2006, and found dead on March 20, 2006.

1 Released

*A member of the International Committee of the Red Cross was kidnapped by the Taliban with a colleague from Burma and two Afghanis in Wardak Province on September 26, 2007. They were freed on September 29, 2007. They were freed on September 29, 2007.

Northern Ireland

1 Released

*Annetta Flanigan, a U.N. worker, was kidnapped with two other U.N. workers on October 30, 2004, by the Taliban. She was freed with the others on November 23, 2004.

Philippines

1 Released

*Angelito Nayan, a diplomat working for the U.N., was kidnapped with two other workers on October 30, 2004. He was freed on November 23, 2004.

South Korea

2 Killed and 21 Released

* A group of 23 South Korean Christians, 16 women and seven men, were kidnapped by the Islamic militant group Taliban on on July 19, 2007. Two male hostages were killed. The other captives were freed until August 30, 2007. See 2007 South Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan.

Turkey

1 Released

*Hassan Onal, an engineer working on a highway, was kidnapped by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan on October 30, 2003. He was released on November 30, 2003.

United Kingdom

1 Killed

*David Addison, an engineer and truck driver, was kidnapped by the Taliban in western Afghanistan on August 31, 2005. His body was found on September 3, 2005.

United States

1 Killed

*Cydney Mizell, an U.S. aid worker, was kidnapped in the southern city of Kandahar on January 26, 2008, along with her Afghan driver Muhammad Hadi, while traveling through a residential section of Afghanistan's largest city. She has reportedly been killed on February 26, 2008. The organization they worked for says the two are believed to be dead.

See also

External links



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