In Afghanistan, a rash of abductions, murders on highways have travelers worried

Since the end of May, more than 200 people have been abducted from the highways of Afghanistan, and at least 21 have been murdered, with worried bus drivers saying the Taliban and common criminals are behind the spike in crime.

"The Taliban are everywhere and take hostages whenever they want to," a bus driver named Nasrullah, who drives between Kabul and Kunduz, told Reuters. "Some passengers are so afraid [they] keep talking to family members on the phone, sometimes the whole journey." Afghan security forces, with encouragement from NATO, closed down many smaller checkpoints that protect roads in order to free up soldiers and police officers to fight the Taliban. A senior Afghan military official told Reuters that the goal of closing checkpoints was also to reduce casualties among security forces, but officials are now caught off guard by the increase in attacks against civilians.

In Kunduz, security forces rescued at least 140 hostages abducted in May, and the police chief said "by kidnapping passengers, the Taliban are trying to provoke people against the government, showing that it can't provide security." A spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry said the government is revisiting its strategy and will increase not only the number of checkpoints but also regular patrols along highways.

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