In the past few weeks police “have rescued more than 17 children from the grip of child-kidnappers,” Jalali said, adding that police had arrested dozens of abductors.
“This means that the issue of child abduction is a major problem for the security organs,” the minister added.
“Last year we arrested 100 people involved in the abduction of children.
Most of the children are snatched on their way to schools, parks, video game saloons, clubs and other areas.
At least 750 Afghan children were abducted and taken to Saudi Arabia last year with about 250 of them eventually returned home, the minister said.
A two-day government workshop on child trafficking which ended today was preparing a national strategy on stopping the practice which has apparently increased recently but remains undocumented, a UN spokesman said.
