Official says 19 Hazara hostages freed in eastern Afghanistan
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 11 May 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Official says 19 Hazara hostages freed in eastern Afghanistan, 11 May 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5565ba962b.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
May 11, 2015
By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan
A provincial official in Afghanistan says kidnappers have released 19 Hazara hostages abducted in February in exchange for 22 people.
Ata Jan Haqbaya, a provincial council member in southern Zabul Province, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that the exchange took place in Jaghori district of Ghazni Province on May 11.
Another local official, Asadullah Kakar, said that the exchanged 22 people are foreigners and include women and children, probably family members of the kidnappers.
He says the kidnappers asked for another six more Uzbeks in exchange for the remaining 11 Hazara hostages they hold.
It wasn't immediately clear how the foreigners came into government custody.
The 30 Hazara men, members of the minority Hazara ethnic group, were abducted on February 23 on the road between the southern city of Kandahar and the capital, Kabul.
Authorities initially blamed an affiliate of the Islamic State group for their kidnapping.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
