Kunduz-Takhar highway hostage crisis

On May 31, 2016, Taliban militants posing as government officials kidnapped around 220 civilians at a fake checkpoint along the Kunduz-Takhar highway near Arzaq Angor Bagh in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, on the outskirts of the city of Kunduz.

More people were killed and kidnapped on June 8.

Events
The civilians were kidnapped from four buses, three vans, and three cars while travelling on the highway. Most of the passengers were eventually released, but at least seventeen have been killed, and at least eighteen (some sources say "around 20") are still being held hostage. A rescue mission for the eighteen or more civilians has been launched. Some of the hostages were killed on the spot, and some were killed after they were transported to the village of Omarkhil in Chardara. Afghan forces rescued many of the passengers, and some members were also taken hostage. Six people were killed after trying to escape when the security forces arrived.

On June 8, 2016, at least 12 hostages being held were executed, and 10 were released. Another 40 were kidnapped on the same day.

Four people were killed and two more kidnapped after another connected event in Uruzgan province. Over 250 members of the Taliban are claimed to be involved. Other groups may also be involved.

Similar incidents
Soon after the attack, four suicide bombers attacked a courthouse in Ghazni, killing at least nine people, and themselves, and injuring 13. Six days before the attack, 11 were killed on a court minibus attack, soon after the death of Mullah Akhtar Mansour. All of these attacks have been conducted by the Taliban. The Taliban held Kunduz briefly one year before the attack.