ICRC staff member abducted

ICRC Geneva / Kabul - A member of staff working for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been abducted in Afghanistan. It happened around 11am local time, on Monday morning.

Several staff members were travelling in two vehicles from Mazar-e-Sharif to Kunduz when unidentified armed men stopped them. One male colleague was taken. The rest were let go.

"We're extremely concerned for the safety of our colleague. We're doing our best to discover what precisely happened, and to secure his safe and unconditional release as quickly as possible," said the ICRC's head of delegation in Afghanistan, Monica Zanarelli.

The ICRC is in contact with various authorities to try and secure the individual's release. His family has been informed. It would not be appropriate, at this stage, to provide more information.

The ICRC has been working in Afghanistan for nearly thirty years, providing medical care, supporting water and sanitation services and acting as a neutral intermediary to enable humanitarian work to take place.

For more information please contact:
Anastasia Isyuk, ICRC Geneva: +41227303443 or +41792519302 (mobile)
Albert Madrazo, ICRC Kabul (English): +93 790 898 184
Ramin Ayaz Ahmad, ICRC Kabul (Pashto / Dari) +93 794 618 908