Two Italians freed in Afghan raid

By Charles Haviland
BBC News, Kabul

Western Afghanistan has been a relatively safe area

The Nato-led force in Afghanistan, Isaf, says it has freed two Italian soldiers and their translator who were kidnapped on Saturday.

They were kidnapped in the western province of Herat and taken to neighbouring Farah province.

Isaf says the captives were injured and all the kidnappers were killed in the rescue operation.

Two Spanish soldiers have been killed in Farah and unconfirmed reports say 36 people have died in other incidents.

Not known

Isaf said the Italian-led rescue mission early on Monday gave rise to a fire fight resulting in the death of all the kidnappers, who it said were eight or nine in number.

It said both Italians were wounded, one seriously, as was their translator.

An Isaf spokesman said it was not known what had happened to their other Afghan colleague, the driver.

The four were held and freed in Farah, an increasingly volatile province of western Afghanistan.

It is not clear who the kidnappers were. Taleban rebels say they were not involved.

Also in Farah province, two Spanish soldiers and their Iranian translator were killed in a roadside bomb attack, according to the Spanish government.

Three of their colleagues were seriously wounded.

Separately, Afghan government officials say 36 people have died in two ambush incidents in Farah province and in the north-east of the country.

They say those killed include 21 Taleban insurgents, but the figures have not been confirmed.