US offers $5 million to locate aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan in 2008

The US State Department has offered $5 million to anyone who can provide information on the kidnapping of an American aid worker who was abducted in Afghanistan in 2008. 

Cydney Mizell and her driver Muhammad Hadi were set upon by gunmen outside Kandahar, southern Afghanistan. Both are believed to be buried in Kandahar or the surrounding areas, according to the State Department. 

Mizell taught English at the provincial university, as well as embroidery at a local girls school. She lived in Kandahar and spoke fluent Pashto, one of the two national languages of Afghanistan.

The reward is being offered through the Rewards for Justice office of the US State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. It is being advertised for information “leading to the location, recovery and return of Ms Mizell”, according to state department’s website. 

There is yet to be any claim of responsibility for Mizell’s presumed death, Bloomberg report.

The State Department is also seeking to locate US contractor Mark Frierch, who disappeared early last year and is thought to be held by the Taliban’s Haqqani network. 

While the insurgent movement has denied taking Frierchs, US Afghan envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has pressed them for information on his whereabouts.

Read more: US withdraws from major Kandahar base in southern Afghanistan: Afghan army

The need to locate missing US citizens is growing as Washington withdraws its remaining troops ahead of September 11 deadline to end its longest military engagement. 

On Monday, the Pentagon said it has completed between 13-20% of its withdrawal.