/world
(CNN) -- Search efforts were under way in Afghanistan on Thursday after two German citizens and at least two Afghan residents were reported abducted the day before.
"According to information we have received, two German nationals along with their Afghan colleagues were kidnapped in Maidan Wardak province yesterday," said Interior Ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary. "We have started an extensive operation to find them. The kidnap took place in the Jaghato district of the province."
The Associated Press identified two Afghans -- a driver and a translator -- as being abducted. Reuters placed the number of kidnapped Afghans at six.
Taliban spokesman Zabeeullah Mujahid said the group was not aware of its fighters seizing any foreign nationals.
"I have contacted all our forces in the area but no one knows about it," Mujahid said by phone from an undisclosed location.
The latest kidnappings come during rising violence in Afghanistan, where the Taliban have stepped up their campaign against international and Afghan forces in recent months. E-mail to a friend 
Journalist Thomas Coghlan contributed to this report.
Copyright 2007 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.
| Most Viewed | Most Emailed |
| Most Viewed | Most Emailed |
From the Blogs: 
Sit tight, we're getting to the good stuff
