Two Germans, five Afghans abducted in Afghanistan

KABUL (AFP) - Taliban insurgents have kidnapped two German nationals and their five Afghan colleagues in the latest of a series of kidnappings in the country, a provincial governor told AFP Thursday.

"The Taliban abducted two German nationals and five Afghans yesterday (Wednesday)," said Ghazni governor Mirajuddin Pattan, adding that they were stopped by militants in the Band-e-Sultan area of neighbouring central Wardak province.

The German foreign ministry in Berlin on Wednesday said two German nationals had been reported missing in Afghanistan.

Ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said the German embassy in Kabul and other relevant authorities had been alerted after the pair went missing and were trying to establish what had happened to them.

A German and his Afghan translator were kidnapped in southwestern Afghanistan in late June and released unharmed after about a week.

Islamist militants in March issued Berlin with an ultimatum to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan.

The country has some 3,000 troops stationed in the north of the country as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and is being pressed to send more.

Britain on Wednesday urged NATO nations to contribute more troops to stem a Taliban insurgency raging in the war-ravaged nation.