Hindustan Times (Bathinda)

INDIAN AMONG 3 KILLED IN KABUL

- Jayanth Jacob jayanth.jacob@hindustant­imes.com ■

KABUL: Three foreign nationals working for French catering company Sodexo were abducted and killed in Kabul on Thursday, deepening concerns about security of expatriate­s in Afghanista­n. Sodexo, which employs around 230 staff in Afghanista­n, expressed shock and said it was working closely with Afghan authoritie­s. “An Indian, a Malaysian and a Macedonian citizen were abducted and killed. We have found their bodies,” Hashmat Stanekzai, spokesman for Kabul’s police chief, told Reuters . Kidnapping has been a major problem in Afghanista­n in recent years.

IT’S NOT KNOWN WHO’S BEHIND THE ABDUCTION AND KILLING. ALSO, NONE OF THE MILITANT GROUPS CLAIMED RESPONSIBI­LITY FOR THE ASSAULT

NEWDELHI: An Indian national and two other workers of an internatio­nal food services company were abducted and killed in Kabul on Thursday in the latest attack targeting foreigners in the war-torn country, officials said.

“The three were abducted near Pul-e-charkhi Kabul early morning, but hours later their bodies with bullet injuries were found in a car parked in the Mussahi district, some 25km south,” the official said.

“It is a matter of deep anguish that an Indian national, working for an internatio­nal company, was kidnapped along with two of his colleagues from Malaysia and Macedonia in Kabul,” ministry of external affairs spokespers­on Raveesh Kumar said. The name of the Indian national wasn’t immediatel­y available as the family of the deceased was yet to be informed.

It is not known who’s behind the Kabul abductions and killing and no militant group immediatel­y claimed responsibi­lity for the assault.

“The government condemns this incident in the strongest terms. The Indian embassy in Kabul is in touch with the Afghan authoritie­s and the company concerned in the matter,” Kumar said. “The embassy is rendering all assistance in the repatriati­on of the mortal remains.”

“The three men were shot dead and their bodies were found inside a car,” said Nusrat Rahimi, deputy spokespers­on for the Afghan interior ministry. “We are in touch with the Afghanista­n authoritie­s for the necessary follow up actions and the family is being informed,” said an Indian official requesting anonymity.

The attack came on a day the Taliban attacked a security outpost on Wednesday night, killing three local policemen and wounding four others. At least 10 Taliban fighters were also killed in the gunbattle that broke out.

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