Taliban Collects Ransom

(Kabul, Afghanistan) Two kidnapped Pakistani engineers were released yesterday by the Taliban after somebody paid ransom. It's anyone's guess who paid.

From PakTribune.com:

The two engineers, who were working for a road construction company, were freed after Taliban militants were paid a big ransom of 60,000 U.S. dollars, said Haji Aqha Lalei, head of the reconciliation commission in Kandahar.

He didn't say who had paid the ransom, but said local elders and government had negotiated with the militants for the hostages' release.

Apparently, there was a skirmish during the kidnapping on Sunday and two Taliban were killed. However, it didn't stop the abductions.

Personally, I sense a corrupt coziness between the government, the tribal elders and the Taliban in this incident and it's all about money. The quick business-like manner in which everything occurred suggests it was preplanned.

Tip: George R.