Sixteen local employees with a UN-backed de-mining agency who had been abducted in Paktia province east of Afghanistan are set free on Monday, a local television reported.

"All the 16 de-miners with Mine Detection and Dog Centre (MDC) are set free today," the private Tolo television quoted Sher Agha Ahmad Shah, head of the MDC in Paktiaas as saying.

Ahmad Shah said tribal elders in Paktia contributed a lot to make the safe release of hostages last Sunday.

He added that the abductors came from local criminal gangs and they freed all workers unconditionally.

These de-miners, according to officials, were abducted by armed men in Wachshakh area outside Paktia's provincial capital Gerdez on July 4.

Source: Xinhua