Posted on 04/07/2007 4:55:08 PM PDT by blam
Abductions follow exchange for Italian
KABUL, Afghanistan, April 7 (UPI) -- A string of kidnappings have occurred in Afghanistan following last month's exchange of five Taliban prisoners for an abducted Italian journalist.
At least 13 Afghans and two French aid workers have been kidnapped in three incidents in the past two weeks, the Los Angeles Times said Saturday. The Taliban is holding at least 10 of the hostages and will free some of them only if more jailed Taliban are released.
Critics of the deal that set Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo free March 19 -- after his driver had been decapitated and his interpreter was left in his captors' hands -- had warned it could encourage more abductions. The kidnappers are now demanding three more Taliban prisoners be released in return for the interpreter, but Afghan President Hamid Karzai vows there will be no more deals.
"This act will not be repeated in anyone's case, with no one and there will be no favor to any country," Karzai said at a news conference Friday. "It is not possible."
Karzai said the deal for Mastrogiacomo was in appreciation for for the continued presence of 1,800 Italian troops in Afghanistan. "Even though we knew what this action will cause," he said, "we had to do it."
Why is it that only Americans and Israelis seem to get it when it comes to ransom and negotiation.
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