Authorities working to secure release of Australian abducted in Afghanistan

The Australian government is working to secure the safe return of an Australian aid worker taken hostage in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Friday.

Turnbull said the Department of Foreign Affairs was working closely with local and overseas authorities to secure the release of Kerry Wilson, 60, who was reportedly abducted from the Afghan city of Jalalabad on Thursday.

"I'm aware of (the abduction) and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is working with other agencies and of course the Afghan authorities to identify her whereabouts and seek to ensure her safe recovery," Turnbull told 3AW radio.

According to reports, Wilson was snatched from her office in Jalalabad by a group of armed men in military uniforms.

Wilson's father, Brian made an emotional plea for her safe return on Friday, and said his daughter was a generous aid worker who had assisted in the region for more than 20 years.

"I feel extremely worried indeed," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

"I presume she's a hostage, and that they'll do their best to keep her alive and not harm her, simply because they want to have something or other in return and it's not very good having a dead hostage."

Wilson said his daughter knew the risks of working in the region and was always cautious while working.

Abduction for ransom is common in poor areas of Afghanistan, and foreign aid workers are particularly at risk, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

Jalalabad is close to the border with Pakistan, in an area where both Islamic State (IS) and the Taliban are still active.

Source: XINHUA