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Italians 'seized in Afghanistan' | Italians 'seized in Afghanistan' |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Italian authorities say they believe that two missing soldiers serving in western Afghanistan have been abducted. | Italian authorities say they believe that two missing soldiers serving in western Afghanistan have been abducted. |
"We believe they have been kidnapped together with two Afghans," the defence ministry said in a statement, adding that a search was under way. | "We believe they have been kidnapped together with two Afghans," the defence ministry said in a statement, adding that a search was under way. |
Contact was lost after the men crossed a police checkpoint in Herat province. | Contact was lost after the men crossed a police checkpoint in Herat province. |
An Afghan driver and interpreter were with the soldiers at the time but have since returned to Herat city and are to be questioned by police, reports say. | |
The four had driven through a police checkpoint in the Shindand district of Herat province on Saturday before all contact was lost, said Gen Ali Khan Hassanzada, chief of police criminal investigations in western Afghanistan. | |
The Italian defence ministry said the military personnel were "carrying out liaison activities with local civilian authorities". | The Italian defence ministry said the military personnel were "carrying out liaison activities with local civilian authorities". |
There is some speculation that the Italians were intelligence officials but this has not been confirmed, the BBC's Charles Haviland reports from Kabul. | |
Increased insurgency | |
An Italian embassy official in Kabul said the two men last spoke with officials at their base late on Saturday during "routine contact". | An Italian embassy official in Kabul said the two men last spoke with officials at their base late on Saturday during "routine contact". |
Officials in Rome said the families of the men had been notified. | Officials in Rome said the families of the men had been notified. |
Western Afghanistan is a relatively safe area, our correspondent says. | |
But Shindand district has become more volatile as it borders a province where the militant insurgency has been on the rise, he adds. | |
Earlier reports, later corrected, had said the two were journalists. | Earlier reports, later corrected, had said the two were journalists. |
In March, Afghan President Hamid Karzai was criticised for making a deal with the Taleban to free kidnapped Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo. | |
Italy has more than 2,000 troops in Afghanistan, many of them based in the west. |