More than 400 Afghan women walked on the street Tuesday to express their anger and opposition about the kidnapping of an Italian CARE worker in Kabul.

Holding the pictures of the kidnapped Italian woman, and the banners of "Release Clementina" and "Kidnapping will be an eternal shame of Afghanistan", more than 400 Afghan women sat in front of a sanatorium of Afghan capital Kabul, and asked the kidnappers to set the woman free.

"The kidnapping of the lady is very bad, and great damaged the image of Afghanistan. We hope the kidnappers can set her free as soon as possible," an old lady named Gul Ghotai told Xinhua as crying.

"Clementina is a very nice lady who often sent us food and other necessaries, and gave us hope and future," another young lady said.

The Italian woman Clementina Cantoni, working in CARE International, was kidnapped by four armed men in the center of Afghan capital Kabul at about 9 PM on Monday.

Until now, there is no group or person to announce responsible for the affair.

This kidnapping follows a series of warning to the about 3,000 foreigners in Kabul, that they might be the targets of attacking or arresting.

On May 7, a UN worker from Myanmar was killed by a bomb in an Internet cafe in the center of Kabul. Last month, an American civilian was almost abducted in Kabul but escaped by throwing himself from a moving car.

Afghan Non-governmental Security Organization (ANSO) has asked the workers of non-governmental organizations not to go outside unless some emergency or they can guarantee the safety, the deputy of ANSO told Xinhua on the condition of anonymity.

United Nations also has announced the "white city" policy to keep the staff indoors without closing the offices, a spokesperson of UN told Xinhua.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2005)