Taliban official says no foreigners kidnapped, but some being queried

Kabul - Western nations have struggled to ramp up the pace of evacuations amid chaos in the country.

The Taliban have not kidnapped any foreigner, although some of them are being questioned before being allowed to leave Afghanistan, an official of the militant group said on Saturday.

Just a week after the Taliban’s swift takeover of the south Asian nation, Western nations have struggled to ramp up the pace of evacuations amid chaos and reports of violence by the insurgents.

“Our fighters will continue to demonstrate restraint,” the Taliban official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

He ruled out incidents of reported kidnappings of foreigners, but added, “We are questioning some of them before they exit the country.”

The Taliban have disowned responsibility for the disorder at Kabul airport, besieged by thousands desperate to flee the country, and have said the West could have had a better plan to evacuate.

At least 12 people have been killed in and around the airport since Sunday, NATO and Taliban officials have said, as Taliban around it urged those without travel documents to go home.