2 Germans Reported Missing in Afghanistan

Posted August 23rd, 2011 at 12:35 pm (UTC-5)
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Two German citizens have been reported missing in Afghanistan, and officials say they may have been kidnapped.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told reporters Tuesday that authorities are searching intensively for the pair. He said the government is following up on indications the two may have been abducted.

Westerwelle did not give further details about the German citizens.

Afghan police say the Germans went missing on Friday near the Salang Pass in the northern province of Parwan. Provincial police chief Sher Ahmad Maldani says the two left their driver to go hiking in the mountains and never returned.

Parwan provincial officials say Afghan security forces are conducting a massive search for the foreigners.

Taliban spokesman Zahibullah Mujahid told news agencies that the insurgent group has no information about the missing Germans.

Foreigners and Afghans have been abducted in the war-torn country for ransom by criminals and insurgents.

Germany has some 5,200 troops deployed in Afghanistan as part of the international coalition. German forces are based mainly in the country's north.

Separately, Afghan government officials confirmed Tuesday that villagers stoned two Taliban insurgents to death after the militants killed a 60-year old man for allegedly aiding the local government.

The militants were killed Sunday in the southern province of Helmand.

Also in the south, NATO says a roadside bomb killed one of its service members on Tuesday. The coalition did not give details.