British embassy here confirmed Thursday that one of its citizens went missing Wednesday in the insurgency-hit post-Taliban nation.

"We confirm that the incident took place yesterday and one UK national is missing," Colin Ball, a spokesperson of the UK embassy, here told Xinhua.

However, the spokesperson declined to give more details pending notification of his kin.

In the meantime, Taliban's spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi said that the movement's fighter had taken into custody a British national.

"I have met him (the British hostage) and told him not to worry as he will be released," Hakimi added.

During the raid, two Taliban militants, Hakimi added were also wounded.

A group of suspected Taliban raided a Turkish construction firm in western Herat province Wednesday afternoon and took away a British engineer and his local interpreter, according to Afghan Interior ministry.

"Armed robbers riding three cars raided USPI Company in Tootchakan area near Shindand of Herat and took away a British engineer along with his Afghan interpreter. Three police lost their lives when they tried to foil the conspiracy," Dad Mohammad Rasa confirmed.

The abductors, he said had fled towards Zeerkoh, a mountainous area in Shindand.

It is the first time that such incident has been occurred in Shindand, which is famous for its strategically important airport close to Iran border in west Afghanistan.

A continent of US army has been stationed in Shindand since last year. A delegation, Rasa added had been sent to Shindand to investigate the issue. Police have been trying to locate the whereabouts of the abductors and secure the safe release of the British engineer, Rasa added.

Source: Xinhua