Afghan militants threatening to kill three foreign hostages, including a woman from the North, today offered to negotiate with a UN envoy, but warned that any rescue attempt would end in bloodshed.

Kidnapped Northern Irish UN worker Annetta Flanigan was today featured in a video released by her captors who are demanding the withdrawal of UK troops from Afghanistan.

A militant group claiming responsibility for kidnapping three foreign UN workers said today it will execute them unless Britain withdraws its troops from Afghanistan and two other governments stop supporting US policy.

International aid workers kept a low profile today after the brazen daylight kidnapping of an Irish woman and two other foreign UN election staff in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

International aid workers were keeping their heads down in Afghanistan today following the brazen daylight kidnapping of a woman from Northern Ireland and two other foreign UN election staff in the capital, Kabul.