By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

As many as seven engineers working on an electricity supply project in northern Afghanistan have been abducted by the Taliban on Sunday, local officials said.

“One Afghan and seven Indian engineers have been abducted by the Taliban rebels led by their commander Qari Shaheen,” Zabehullah Shujah, spokesman for the Police in Baghlan province, told Anadolu Agency.

Shujah said the abduction took place near the Pul-e-Khumri city at around 10.00 a.m. (0530GMT).

According to the provincial administration, the engineers were associated with the Kamani Engineering Corporation (KEC), India's second largest manufacturer of electric power transmission towers.

Earlier this year, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), the main power utility in Afghanistan, inked a multi-million dollar deal with KEC for a 220 Kilowatt electricity cable extension from Ghazni to Kandahar province.

There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the abduction.

The Indian Embassy in Kabul has also not commented on the matter.