Kabul, Oct 8 (IANS): Afghan security forces have rescued a child from kidnappers in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, and arrested four kidnappers, including two women, the provincial police spokesman said on Tuesday.

The child, who was kidnapped in Spin Boldak district, southern Kandahar province, was rescued in Lashkar Gah city, the provincial capital of Helmand province, and the kidnappers demanded $50,000 in ransom for his release, Mullah Ezatullah Haqqani, spokesman for the provincial police, told Xinhua.

The Afghan security forces, after identifying the location of the kidnappers, launched a special operation and rescued the child, Haqqani asserted as reported by Xinhua news agency.

The rescued child had returned to his family safely, the official added.

In war-torn and economically impoverished Afghanistan, criminal gangs, including kidnappers, often attempt to target wealthy families by kidnapping their members and demanding huge amount of cash for their release.