CHEGHCHERAN, Afghanistan - Taliban militants have abducted 13 civilians in Ghor province 360 km west of capital city Kabul, a local official said Tuesday. ?

"A group of Taliban militants under Mullah Ahmad Shah have abducted 13 innocent civilians from Charsada district," provincial spokesman Abdul Hai Khatibi told Xinhua.

Without giving more details, he said that search operation is underway to locate and rescue the abductees.

Meantime, another official who declined to be identified told Xinhua that 13 civilians have gone missing on the way from Ghor to Faryab's provincial capital Maimana since Friday.

Taliban militants have yet to make comment.