An Italian woman aid worker was kidnapped on Monday in the centre of the Afghan capital Kabul, security and United Nations officials said on Monday. A senior official at the Italian Foreign Ministry in Rome identified the woman as Clementina Cantoni from Lombardy. She works for the CARE International aid agency, officials in Kabul said. Cantoni was seized near a park at about 8.30 p.m. (1600 GMT) after the vehicle she was travelling in was blocked by another car, Italy's ANSA news agency said, citing the Italian ambassador in Kabul, Ettore Sequi, according to Reuters. "We don't know who kidnapped her or why," said an Afghan security official, who declined to be identified. Three U.N. workers were kidnapped in Kabul in October and held for 27 days before being released unharmed. Cantoni was travelling with two other people when their vehicle was intercepted and stopped but the others managed to escape, ANSA said. An Italian embassy official said the mission was in contact with the relevant authorities. He declined to give details. The district in Kabul where Cantoni was kidnapped has several guest houses and restaurants that are popular with foreigners. A bomb attack in an Internet cafe in the area on May 8 killed three people, including a U.N. worker from Myanmar. Aid agencies have issued warnings to staff to keep a low profile in recent weeks following two unsuccessful attempts to kidnap foreigners.
