2 Indians kidnapped by Taliban return home

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 2

Two Indians, who were released from Taliban captivity in Afghanistan on July 31, returned to India on Tuesday.

They were among the seven Indians kidnapped in Afghanistan over two years ago. Six of them are now free.

The Ministry of External Affairs thanked Kabul for its "constant and unwavering support" in securing their release.

The Indians were working for Maharashtra-based KEC in an area that has witnessed pioneering work after the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. They were abducted in a village near the northern city of Pul E Khomre where India is developing electricity infrastructure that powers parts of Kabul. KEC owns an electricity substation contract in the area and has over 60 Indians working at different locations across Afghanistan.

Out of the seven Indians who were abducted, one returned in March last year and three came back last October in exchange for 11 Taliban prisoners.

This is not the first case of abduction of Indians in Afghanistan. Pakistan has started accusing Indian engineers working on projects close to their border with Afghanistan of fomenting terrorism. As a result, India had to ensure the hasty return of some engineers against whom Pakistan had petitioned UNSC to list them as international terrorists.

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