Child rescued, 2 kidnappers killed in N. Afghanistan

KABUL, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's security personnel have rescued a child and killed two suspected kidnappers during a military operation in northern Balkh province, the provincial police office said in a statement on Sunday.

According to the statement, the coordinated operation was launched after receiving intelligence reports about the presence of kidnappers on the outskirts of Police District 4, Mazar-i-Sharif City, the capital of the province.

During the raid, two of the alleged kidnappers were killed in an exchange of gunfire with security personnel, while a third was arrested and is in custody for further investigation.

The child, who had been abducted earlier on his way to school, was safely reunited with his family, the statement added.

In poverty-stricken Afghanistan, criminal gangs, particularly kidnappers, frequently target wealthy families. Enditem