Christian aid workers taken to Taliban stronghold

The sprawling Kabul detention centre where eight foreign aid workers had been held was abandoned today.

A guard said the eight foreigners, accused of preaching Christianity, had been whisked away by departing Taliban.

‘‘With my own eyes, I saw them leave,’’ guard Ajmal Mir said. Mir said the Taliban loaded the four Germans, two Americans and two Australians into a black four-wheel drive vehicle at midnight and drove off.

‘‘They said they were going to Kandahar,’’ Mir said. Kandahar is the headquarters of the Taliban, 240 miles south of the Afghan capital.

Columns of Taliban troops headed south from Kabul throughout the night after the opposition northern alliance broke through their defences and rushed to the edge of the city.

Just two weeks ago, American Dayna Curry celebrated her 30th birthday in jail in Kabul. She was arrested along with the other American, Heather Mercer, 24, on August 3.

The others were arrested two days later. They and 16 Afghan staffers were all charged with preaching Christianity in this strict Muslim country.

‘‘This is a real mess,’’ said John Mercer, Heather’s father, in neighbouring Pakistan.

The aid workers were in good condition when they left, the guard said. He was uncertain which Taliban took the aid workers, whether they were from a government ministry or whether they were acting on their own.