Gang of kidnappers detained, 2 abductees rescued in S. Afghanistan

KABUL, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Police have detained a gang of kidnappers and rescued two abductees from their clutches in the Sangin district of southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, provincial police spokesman Mullah Ezatullah Haqqani said Monday.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided the kidnappers' hideout in Sangin district and freed the hostages, the official said, adding that five kidnappers were arrested on the spot and an assault rifle was seized.

The official stated that the kidnappers had been demanding a ransom of 10 million afghanis (approximately 152,000 U.S. dollars) for the release of the captives.

Although security has been restored in post-war Afghanistan and people are living in a peaceful environment, criminal elements in the poverty-stricken country still attempt to target members of affluent families for kidnapping and ransom. ■