KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- A female U.S. citizen and her driver were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen in the Afghan city of Kandahar Saturday, the governor of the province said.
Kandahar Gov. Asadullah Khalid said that 49-year-old Sidney Misal, a humanitarian aid and development worker, and her Afghan driver were taken by armed assailants and no one had yet taken responsibility for the kidnapping, The New York Times reported.
Khalid said that Misal had been living in Afghanistan since 2002 and working with the Asian Rural Life Development Foundation.
The governor criticized those behind the kidnapping, adding that police had already begun an investigation.
"This is against Afghan culture to abduct a woman," Khalid said. "She trusted the Afghan nation and respected them, that's why she was traveling without security guards and actually she didn't ask for security."
The Times said Misal's organization is involved with local agricultural projects and also works with Afghan officials to help Kandahar students learn computers and English.
