19 of 31 Hazaras abducted in February freed: Afghan officials

Some Afghan media report Hazaras freed in exchange for Uzbek militants; Afghan security officials decline to confirm

GHAZNI: Nineteen of the 31 Hazaras abducted in Afghanistan in February were freed on Monday, officials said, adding that the remaining abductees would also be released imminently.

Masked gunmen seized the minority ethnic Hazaras on February 24 as they were travelling by bus through southern Afghanistan after returning from Iran. According to passengers and an official of the bus company, a group of masked men in Afghan army uniform had signalled to stop the two buses, before taking away the men and leaving the women and children behind.

Read: Highway interception: Gunmen abduct 30 Hazara men in Afghanistan

"Nineteen Hazaras who were abducted in February were released today," Zafar Sharif, a district governor in southeastern Ghazni province, told AFP without offering any more details.

Family members of two of the 19 men told AFP they received calls from officials in Ghazni confirming their release.

Read: Taliban deny kidnapping Shia Hazara in Kandahar

The men were reported by some Afghan media to have been freed in exchange for Uzbek militant fighters held in government prisons, but Afghan security officials declined to confirm the swap.

Government efforts to secure the release of the Hazaras has been shrouded in mystery as the Taliban, waging a 13-year insurgency in Afghanistan, distanced themselves from the incident.

Read: Kabul sends interlocutors to secure Hazaras’ release

The rare abduction of Hazaras sent shockwaves through the community, evoking memories of the Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001, when minorities were heavily persecuted. However, the Taliban had said on March 6 that they were not responsible for the abduction.