Kandahar, Afghanistan
A top Taliban leader and mastermind of several kidnappings killed himself this week, as Pakistani security forces closed in on his hideout near the Afghan border. Afghan officials hope the death of Abdullah Mehsud will herald an end to a spate of kidnappings of foreigners. In recent months, Taliban fighters have used kidnapping as a political tool, choosing victims from coalition countries perceived as waffling in their support for the U.S.-led war. At least three German civilians were snatched last month, and more than two dozen Chinese and South Korean workers were taken in the past two weeks.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Democrats push for ICE accountabilityFeature U.S. citizens shot and violently detained by immigration agents testify at Capitol Hill hearing
-
The price of sporting gloryFeature The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics kicked off this week. Will Italy regret playing host?
-
Fulton County: A dress rehearsal for election theft?Feature Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is Trump's de facto ‘voter fraud’ czar
