Spanish Red Cross worker kidnapped in Afghanistan

IT has now been confirmed by both Afghan and Spanish authorities as well as the International Red Cross that an employee who was kidnapped when vehicles were stopped at a road block in Kunduz province is Spanish.

He was travelling in one of two Red Cross vehicles on Monday December 19 when he was singled out by the group of armed men at the road block and removed whilst the rest of the party was allowed to continue.

At this stage no one on the ground has been able to establish whether those who kidnapped him were Daesh supporters or simply opportunist criminals, but it appears that the local Red Cross office in Afghanistan has not requested any form of government involvement, either local or international, and hopes to be able to resolve his release in due course.

Whilst information continues to be scarce, associates of the kidnapped man tweeted “We’re extremely concerned for our colleague. We’re doing our best to secure his safe and unconditional release.”