KABUL, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Afghan security forces have rescued a kidnapped child and apprehended four suspects in eastern Paktia province, the provincial police office announced late Wednesday.
The rescue operation took place on the outskirts of Gardez city, the provincial capital, according to a police statement. Following intelligence reports that pinpointed the kidnappers' location, security forces conducted a targeted raid, successfully freeing the child without incident, the statement said.
The rescued child has safely reunited with parents, it added.
Earlier this month, Afghan security forces rescued another child from kidnappers in southern Kandahar province, arresting two suspects.
In war-torn and economically challenged Afghanistan, criminal gangs frequently engage in kidnappings, targeting members of affluent families to demand substantial ransoms. ■
