Afghan officials say British woman and 3 Afghans kidnapped in northeastern Afghanistan

LONDON – LONDON (AP) — Afghan officials said a female British aid worker and three Afghan colleagues were kidnapped Sunday in the country's northeastern Kunar province.

Kunar police chief Khalilullah Zaiyi said police chased after the kidnappers and were engaged in a brief gunfight close to the site of the ambush, before the men escaped.

Provincial governor Sayed Fazeullah Wahidi said the British woman was working on international aid projects in the province.

Britain's Foreign Office in London said it is investigating reports that a U.K. citizen has disappeared in Afghanistan, but declined to provide further details.

"We can confirm that a British national is missing in Afghanistan. We are working with other international partners to urgently investigate these reports," the ministry said in a statement.

The Briton and her Afghan colleagues are thought to have been captured following an attack on their convoy of two vehicles.