Abducted Pakistani Ambassador appears on a video shown on Al Arabiya television; Karzai condemns suicide attack in Zaranj, southwestern Afghanistan; Civil rights group criticizes US use of torture on Afghan prisoners in 2003
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    • The missing Pakistani Ambassador to Afghanistan Tariq Aziddudin appeared on a video that was shown on Al Arabiya television. He appealed to his government to meet the demands of the Taliban which had abducted him about 2 months ago while traveling in a private car from Peshawar to the Afghan border on his way to Kabul. The Pakistan Embassy spokesperson in Kabul stated that the militants were demanding the release of some of their colleagues being held in Pakistani jails. Reports noted that these included Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, who had served as defense minister in the Taliban government1.

    A suicide bomber struck outside a mosque in the town of Zaranj, Nimruz province, southwestern Afghanistan on April 17, killing 23 people. President Hamid Karzai condemned the attacks and called them “anti-Islamic2.” The Taliban also attacked a police checkpoint north of Kandahar on April 14 killing 11 police officers. Reports noted that the Afghan police continued to bear the brunt of the Taliban attacks as they were deployed in smaller, less protected stations3.

    Meanwhile, two Dutch soldiers, including the son of the Dutch Chief of General Staff Gen. Peter van Uhm were killed on April 18 in Uruzgan province in a roadside explosion. 16 Dutch soldiers have lost their lives in security operations in Afghanistan so far.

    In other developments, the American Civil Liberties Union in a report stated that US Special Forces had tortured Afghan prisoners in Gardez in March 2003. The report noted that the personnel used special interrogation methods - including beating, burning and using extreme cold on 8 prisoners, one of whom died4.

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