KABUL, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Afghan Ministry for Public Health on Sunday said two staff of an international aid agency were abducted Saturday afternoon in eastern Afghan province of Khost.

    "We received report that two employees of an international aid agency, which provides health services to Afghans, were kidnapped Saturday afternoon," said a statement of the ministry.

    It added that "Health workers serve people irrespective of the political and military affiliation, so we request the religious leaders, tribal elders and the abductors to help free the health workers."

    The ministry said that abduction of health workers would serve no one except depriving poor Afghans from access to health services.

    However, it did not say if the abductees were Afghans or foreigners.

    Eastern Afghanistan has seen an uprising of security problems as 12 local employees, working for a UN de-mining agency, were kidnapped by unknown gunmen in eastern Afghan province of Paktiya Saturday night.