U.S. Embassy Warns Americans in Afghanistan After Kidnapping Attempt - nytimes

KABUL, Afghanistan — The United States Embassy issued a strongly worded warning on Thursday about kidnappings of foreigners here after an American citizen narrowly escaped an abduction attempt in downtown Kabul.

“The threat of kidnapping and hostage-taking continues to be very high,” the embassy said in a statement posted on its website. It added that the attempted kidnapping on Monday targeted several expatriates, including an American citizen, who were riding in an aid group’s vehicle. The statement gave no further details.

The attempt came four days after a well-known Australian aid worker, Katherine Jane Wilson, also known as Kerry, was kidnapped in the eastern city of Jalalabad. She had been working in Afghanistan for about 20 years, relatives and Australian government officials said.

That abduction and others have alarmed foreign residents in Afghanistan, where kidnappings seemed a relatively minor risk until a year ago.

The Afghan police believe that many of the kidnappings of foreigners have been carried out by criminal gangs motivated by ransom. The fear is that such groups could sell their hostages to extremist organizations. Several of those kidnapped, such as the German and Dutch citizens taken last year, have been released, but it is not known whether ransoms were paid.

The United States Embassy’s warning on Thursday advised Americans to “avoid predictable travel patterns within Afghanistan.” The embassy also urged people to “review your personal security plans, take appropriate steps to enhance your personal safety, remain aware of your surroundings, monitor local news for updates, and maintain a high level of vigilance.” - Read More 

U.S. Embassy Warns Americans in Afghanistan After Kidnapping Attempt

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