Iran pursues fate of hostages

September 16, 2008 - 0:0

The fate of Iranian hostages in Pakistan and Afghanistan is to be pursued by a delegation from the Iranian Interior Ministry.

A delegation of experts headed to the two countries on Monday to negotiate the release of the hostages and to discuss border security issues, said Iran's Interior Minister Ali Kordan.
According to the minister, Tehran is seriously pursuing the matter and a probe committee has been established to further investigate the issue.
In June, the Jondollah terrorist group abducted 16 police officers in a raid on a checkpoint in Saravan, in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchestan. The hostages were reportedly taken across the border into Pakistan.
The gang later claimed that it had killed four of the hostages, but Tehran said there was no evidence to support this. One of the hostages was later released.
The Jondollah terrorist group, led by Abdolmalek Rigi, has orchestrated terrorist operations in southeastern Iranian provinces in a bid to create instability in the country.
Unknown gunmen also kidnapped two Iranian civil engineers from their construction workshop in Afghanistan's western province of Herat in August.
The engineers were employees of the Islamic Republic's 115 Road Construction Company, which is in charge of highway constructions in the province of Herat in Afghanistan.
(Source: Press TV)