Kabul, May 31 (IANS): At least six Afghan civilians were shot dead along a highway after militants intercepted three vehicles in the country's Kunduz province on Tuesday, police said.
The militants intercepted three buses roughly in the Kocha-e-Kazaqah area, provincial police officer Hijratullah Akbari told Xinhua.
"The attackers kidnapped two dozen passengers and took them to nearby villages. They shot and killed six passengers," Akbari said, adding that the security forces launched an operation to locate and rescue the kidnapped people.
The buses were carrying at least 180 passengers, including women and children, from Kunduz city to capital Kabul, the official said.
The Taliban militant group has claimed the responsibility for the incident.