Three Sodexo workers kidnapped and killed in Kabul

Three Sodexo workers have been kidnapped and killed in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.

In a statement released on Thursday, CEO of the French catering and services giant, Denis Machuel said: "We are deeply saddened and shocked to learn of the tragic loss of three of our team members in Kabul, Afghanistan, today. On behalf of the Sodexo community, I want to say that our hearts are with their families, friends and colleagues."

Sodexo has said the employees were from Malaysia, India and Macedonia. They are understood to have been aged 64, 39 and 37 respectively.

Reuters reported that the men were kidnapped while travelling to work in the eastern outskirts of the city. Their bodies were later found in a car in the southern part of the province. Local officials have said all three had been shot.

A psychological support line has been put in place for Sodexo's local employees.

The security of expatriates in Afghanistan has long been a concern. In January Taliban gunmen killed 22 people after storming the InterContinental hotel and in 2014 the Taliban targeted a restaurant with two British nationals among the 21 people killed.

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