Bodies identified
September 5, 2011
Local authorities have identified two bodies found by residents in a mountainous area of Afghanistan north of Kabul as German citizens who were reported missing about two weeks ago.
The two men, who have remained unidentified, have not been heard from since they left for a hike on August 19. Four days later German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said the men had officially been declared missing and that kidnapping could not be ruled out.
The provincial governor of Parwan, Baseer Salangi, told the Reuters news agency that the men "appeared to have been killed by gunshots," but this could not be confirmed by authorities in the area. Other media reports quoting local sources said the cause of death remained to be identified, and an accident in the mountains could not be ruled out.
A spokesperson from the Foreign Ministry did not confirm the deaths of the men and said they were officially still considered missing on Monday morning.
Author: Matt Zuvela (dpa, Reuters, AP)
Editor: Nancy Isenson