Afghanistan: 2 Italian Soldiers Missing

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Afghanistan: 2 Italian Soldiers Missing

Sunday September 23, 2007 12:46 PM

By ALISA TANG

Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Italy's Defense Ministry
said Sunday that two Italian military personnel were
missing in Afghanistan, and police in the country's
west said they were searching for the pair.

In northeastern Afghanistan, meanwhile, NATO
helicopters fired on a group of suspected insurgents,
killing four and wounding 12 others in what may have
been a case of mistaken identity, the alliance said
Sunday.

The Italian Defense Ministry said that contact had
not been established with the two missing military
personnel for several hours, that their families had
been notified and that an investigation was under
way.

The two Italians, their driver and a translator drove
through a police checkpoint in the Shindand district
of Herat province on Saturday, and they have not
had any contact with anyone since, said Gen. Ali
Khan Hassanzada, chief of police criminal
investigations in western Afghanistan.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6942374,00.html

[demoleft]

1. No news from the Italian sources - Talebans deny involvement

According to the Afghan Agency "Pajhwok" (in the person of its director, Danish Karokhel) the Italians were kidnapped by local tribes for money and might be kept in the area of Farah (this was reported by Italian Newspaper LaStampa.it)

"Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said he did not know anything about the missing men." (Al Jazeera)

[David__77]

2. Foreign troops should leave Afghanistan.

All foreign forces should leave. Afghanistan must gain its independence after oppression and occupation by two superpowers.

[Canuckistanian]

3. I had no idea Italians were in Afghanistan

I suppose that there are a LOT more countries involved in Afghanistan than Iraq.

Canada and France come to mind.