Ghani threatens to fire Balkh security chiefs over boy’s kidnapping

President Ashraf Ghani has threatened to fire security chiefs in Balkh province if they fail to locate and rescue the abducted nine-year-old boy, Abdul Rauf.

Abdul Rauf was kidnapped three months ago, by armed men in military uniforms, from PD4 of Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh.

After the abduction, a video released on social media showed the child blindfolded and chained up naked, in bitterly cold temperatures.

The child in the video was heard begging his parents to do everything they can to secure his release.

Ghani’s spokesman Dawa Khan Meenapal wrote on Twitter Saturday that all security officials in Balkh will be fired if they fail to rescue the child.

Meanwhile, the Balkh governor Farhad Azimi Balkh stated that the Afghan forces have conducted several operations in the hope of rescuing the boy.

According to Azimi, a number of security forces have been wounded during these attempts.

Azimi said the boy’s relatives claim Taliban militants have also detained eight people in connection with the abduction.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping.