China ‘gravely concerned’ by report two Chinese killed by Islamic State in Pakistan
The militant group’s news agency said its members have killed the two language teachers it abducted in Baluchistan province last month
China is “gravely concerned” about the reported killing of two kidnapped Chinese citizens in Pakistan’s southwestern Baluchistan province late last month, the state-run news agency Xinhua said on Friday.
Islamic State killed two Chinese teachers in the province last month, the militant group’s Amaq news agency said on Thursday. A Baluchistan government spokesman had said officials were trying to confirm if the report was true.
“We have taken note of relevant reports and we express our grave concern. We have been trying to rescue the two kidnapped hostages over the past days,” Xinhua quoted Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying as saying.
“The Chinese side is working to learn about and verify relevant information through various channels, including working with Pakistani authorities,” Xinhua quoted her as saying. “The Chinese side is firmly opposed to the acts of kidnapping civilians in any form, as well as terrorism and extreme violence in any form.”
There was no immediate comment from Pakistan’s interior ministry or its foreign office.
Armed men pretending to be policemen kidnapped the two language teachers in the provincial capital, Quetta, on May 24. The kidnapping was a rare security incident involving Chinese nationals in Pakistan,where Beijing has pledged US$57 billion for its “Belt and Road” trade plan.