Security forces under the supervision of the governor of Balkh Province have released a child abducted from the seventh district of Mazar-e-Sharif after two months of searching and handed him over to his family.

Afghan Voice News Agency (AVA) - Mazar-e-Sharif: Ahmad Shah, a 13-year-old child, was abducted by kidnappers while returning from school in the seventh district of Mazar-e-Sharif. The kidnappers demanded several million Afghanis in cash from his family in exchange for the child’s release.

Attaullah Zaid, spokesman for the governor of Balkh Province, told AVA: “Hours after the child was abducted, Mawlawi Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, the governor of Balkh Province, personally supervised and took responsibility for the operation to free Ahmad Shah and arrest the kidnappers, and the security forces made extensive efforts in this regard.”

He added that the operation was successfully carried out with the cooperation of the center and the child, who was in good physical condition, was freed from the clutches of the kidnappers who had chained him. The intelligence forces identified the child’s place of detention in District 4 of Mazar-e-Sharif and the rescue operation began thereafter.

The spokesman for the Balkh governor said that in this operation, two of the kidnappers were killed due to resistance against the security forces and another person was arrested.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Shah’s family appreciated the efforts and performance of the security forces and stated: “The captivity of our child deprived us of sleep and food and we ask the security forces to deal decisively with the criminals.”