KABUL -- Taliban militants killed five employees of a state-owned national bank in Afghanistan's western province of Herat, an official told dpa on April 10.
The da Afghanistan Bank employees were on their way from Islam Qala commercial port to the capital Herat city when they were abducted and shot dead by the militants late on April 9, said Farhad Jillani, the spokesman for the Herat governor.
The motive behind the killing is unknown, but the Taliban have kidnapped several government employees and military personnel in the past.
Earlier on April 9, the Afghan government released 100 Taliban fighters, bringing the total number of militants released this week to 200. The Afghan government has said it will release 1,500 Taliban inmates before the start of intra-Afghan peace talks with the militants, but the Taliban are insisting that all 5,000 should be released before any talks.
--DPA
