A Chinese engineer was kidnapped by unknown armed men in southern Afghanistan, an official said yesterday.

The Global Times reported today that the engineer and his Afghan driver were kidnapped in Wardak province in the south of Afghanistan on Monday.

The report said the driver was freed and efforts to have the engineer released were ongoing. The governor of Wardak said the engineer will be released soon, but refused to reveal more details.

The construction firm that the Chinese engineer works for is building a road between Wardak and Baghlan.

A Taliban spokesman said that it was not involved in the kidnapping, according to the report.

The Taliban have kidnapped people in the region before. Most people are released although some have been killed, the report said.

Last year, Taliban insurgents kidnapped two Germen nationals, killing one and releasing another after a month. They also abducted 23 Koreans last year and killed two of them, the report said.

(Shanghai Daily July 2, 2008)