KABUL, March 28 (Xinhua) -- A medical team, grouping a doctor, two nurses, a pharmacist and a driver, was abducted by unknown militants in Kandahar province of southern Afghanistan, a local official said Wednesday.

    The five persons, who are from Kandahar Health Department, were kidnapped in Jalai district on Tuesday, chief of the department Abdul Qayum Pakhla told Xinhua.

    The official did not say who were possibly behind the kidnapping.

    However, some sources said Taliban militants captured the five in order to exchange them for two detained Taliban fighters.

    The kidnapping came 10 days after an Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo was released by the Taliban after five Taliban prisoners were freed by the Afghan authorities.

    The deal has been severely criticized by some western countries, who say no one should be blackmailed by the Taliban and it may trigger a kidnapping spree by Taliban militants.