Afghan official says foreign national abducted in the north

KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan official says a foreign national was abducted by gunmen in northern Kunduz province in an attack on a Red Cross convoy.

Mahmood Danish, spokesman for the provincial governor, said Tuesday that armed men stopped a convoy of vehicles from the International Committee of the Red Cross on Monday and snatched the only foreigner while leaving the Afghans behind.

The abduction took place in Ali Abad district, where the Taliban are active, like elsewhere in Kunduz. No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the abduction.

Danish didn't specify the nationality of the foreigner.

ICRC's spokesman in Kabul, Ahmad Ramin Ayaz, confirmed the abduction without providing further details.

Ayaz says the ICRC staffers were traveling on two vehicles form northern Balkh province toward Kunduz when the attack happened.