Kabul (AsiaNews) – Mario Ragazzi, an aid worker with Caritas Italy in Kabul, and Mgr Giuseppe Moretti, a priest in charge of the missio sui iuris in Afghanistan, say that the situation was tense for the past week; alarm bells had already been set off by a series of attempted abductions of foreigners.

Father Moretti, parish priest for the country's only Catholic church which is inside the Italian Embassy, said that "a day ago someone had already tried to abduct an Italian national."

"Tensions remain high and palpable and we, too, increased security precautions," he added

"Our state of mind is one of dismay and concern for the life of the young woman," said Mr Ragazzi, "but we don't know much more. Personally, I didn't know her".

The Caritas aid worker said that for at least eight days the situation if Kabul was one of high alert among foreigners.

"The security agency for NGOs in Afghanistan had sent a warning to everyone about 'credible threats against foreigners'. The last kidnapping attempt had occurred overnight between Thursday and Friday (May 12-13), when four gunmen attacked three World Bank officials who miraculously got away".

There are still no clues as to the reasons behind the Italian woman's abduction.

"It could be anything," said Mr Ragazzi. "It could be groups trying to put pressure on the government to release prisoners or just people who want ransom money".

"Abductions are an anomaly in Afghanistan," Father Moretti explained. "I can't explain the motive. There is always a call for jihad that is repeated even through local media by warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. But this is usually directed at foreign military forces in the country. But now we are talking about civilians". (MA)