German Evangelical Kidnapped in Afghanistan
by Wolfgang Polzer
August 23, 2007
KABUL (ANS) -- An evangelical development worker from Germany has been kidnapped in Afghanistan.Christine M. (31) was abducted from a restaurant in Kabul, August 18. Her husband Thomas, who was with his pregnant wife, managed to escape. Christine manages the Kabul office of the Christian relief agency Ora International.
Four armed men dragged her to a waiting car and sped away followed by Afghan security forces. They opened fire, but missed the Toyota. Instead they hit a taxi driver, who was killed.
The radical Muslim Taliban, who abducted 23 South Korean Christians July 19, insist that they have nothing to do with the latest kidnapping. They have killed two men and released two women.
Direct negotiations with South Korean emissaries about the release of the remaining 19 hostages have broken down, according to the Taliban.
Ora International was founded in 1981 by Heinrich Floreck. The organization works in 30 countries, since 1991 also in Afghanistan. Approximately 20 co-workers are engaged mainly in health projects.
In 2001 the Taliban held eight foreign co-workers of the Christian relief and development agency Shelter Now hostage for 102 days. They were liberated by US-forces. One of the four German ex-hostages is Margrit Stebner.
She insists that Christian agencies should remain active in Afghanistan despite the dangers. As she told the evangelical news agency "idea", rebuilding efforts needed to be intensified, if peace and stability were to return.
Margrit Stebner is also opposed to proposals that the international military ISAF forces should pull out of Afghanistan. They provided much needed security not only for the Afghan population but also for international humanitarian projects.
They were also needed in the battle against international terrorism, said Stebner. She is convinced that the Taliban are connected with El Qaida.
© 2007 ASSIST News Service, used with permission.
