Taliban kidnapped a group of foreigners in the war-torn country which included journalists as well.
According to the reports, westerners were detained by the Taliban in the capital city of Kabul which included two journalists associated with the United Nations.
The UNHCR tweeted “Two journalists with UNHCR and Afghan nationals working with them have been detained in Kabul. We are doing our utmost to resolve the situation, in coordination with others. We will make no further comment given the nature of the situation.”
Afghanistan’s former vice president Amrullah Saleh claimed that former BBC journalist Andrew North is among the abductees. The ex-vice president also stated that there are eight other foreigners kidnapped by the Taliban.
“Due to no media, no reporting by citizens & a suffocating atmosphere, corruption, crime & atrocities aren’t well exposed,” As an example, 9 citizens of western countries have been kidnapped amongst them Andrew North of BBC & Peter Juvenal owner of Gandomak Restaurant.”
Taliban gain a charge of the country after the mismanaged and chaotic departure of US military troops after years of waging war in the region.
A member of the Taliban Intelligence Unit confided on the basis of anonymity that there have been several arrests made in Kabul of foreign nationals on the charges of assisting the intelligence agencies of the west.
Paul Danahar, the foreign editor for BBC stated that Andrew North had been working in Kabul for the United Nations. He is a former colleague and a respected and cherished journalist.
“All inquiries about his situation, which his friends and colleagues are obviously concerned about, should be directed to the UN.”
According to sources, Andrew North had been working with the UN as an independent journalist and had been covering war-torn regions from Beirut to Kabul. His recent articles were directly aimed towards the strict Taliban regime and leadership which might have caused him the trouble. He had written that the people of Afghanistan had “No trust” in the new leadership. There might be an “impression of indecision, drift and denial and festering division among Taliban factions” but the reality is otherwise.
