IS militants abduct 13 lecturers in Afghanistan

Islamic States militants have abducted 13 lecturers at a religious school in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday, an official said.

“The teachers were busy taking examinations from students in Shpoly area when they were abducted,” Attaullah Khugyani, spokesman for the provincial governor, said.

A statement quoting the provincial governor says Afghan security forces had started an operation to release the lecturers, who were kidnapped from the madrasa in Haska Mina.

In Nangarhar’s Kot district on Friday, Islamic State militants burned more than 60 civilian houses that had already been evacuated due to the militant threat.

Islamic State militants have slowly been spreading to other areas outside Nangarhar province, adding to pressure on the already stretched Afghan security forces amid a rise in insurgency. (dpa/NAN)