The Afghan government Tuesday said criminals and not militants may be behind the abduction an Italian aid worker even as more than 400 women took to the streets in protest, reports Xinhua.

"There is a perception that a criminal group could be behind this although nobody has claimed responsibility," Presidential spokesman Jawed Ludin told journalists at a news conference.

"All the relevant organizations have been tasked to locate the whereabouts of Ms. Cantoni and secure her safe release," said Ludin.

Four armed men in downtown Kabul abducted Clementina Cantoni, 32, working for the international aid agency CARE.

Cantoni's driver had just dropped her off in Kabul's Shahr-e-naw district Monday night when four men armed with Kalashnikovs emerged from a waiting car and dragged Cantoni away, CARE director Paul Barker said.

Security forces have sealed off all main roads leading out of the city, said Jamil Khan, head of the police's criminal investigation department.

On the streets, more than 400 women came out to express their anger and opposition to the kidnapping and demanded Cantoni's release.

Waving pictures of the woman and banners reading "Release Clementina" and "Kidnapping will be an eternal shame to Afghanistan", the women staged a sit in protest in front of a sanatorium here.

"The kidnapping of the lady is very bad and has greatly damaged the image of Afghanistan. We hope the kidnappers set her free as soon as possible," an old lady said.
 
"Clementina is a very nice lady who often sent us food and other necessities, and gave us hope," said another young woman.

The Taliban denied any role in the kidnapping. "We have not carried out this kidnapping. We just heard about it from news agencies," Taliban spokesperson Abdul Latif Hakimi said.

"Our goal is very clear, it is to target the enemies who invaded our country, but not the civilians or innocents," he said.

The Afghan Non-governmental Security Organisation (ANSO) has asked aid workers not to venture out except in cases of emergency, deputy head of ANSO said. The UN too has told its staff to remain indoors but not to close offices, a UN spokesperson said.

The kidnapping came after a series of warnings to about 3,000 foreigners living in Kabul that they could be targeted in attacks. A UN worker was killed in a bomb blast here May 7.
 
--Indo-Asian News Service