A German businessman of Afghan origin is believed to have been kidnapped in Afghanistan, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.
A foreign ministry crisis team was in close contact with Afghan authorities and the German embassy in Kabul in a bid to obtain the hostage's release, spokesman Jens Ploetner said, reported dpa.
He said the German government learned of the abduction at the end of last month. It appeared to have a "criminal" and not a political background, he said.
Ploetner said the victim had dual German-Afghan nationality and had recently moved from Germany to Afghanistan for business reasons.
Security sources said the unnamed man was seized in the capital of Kabul after finishing work for the day.
At least six Germans have been kidnapped in Afghanistan since the beginning of 2007. German engineer Rudolf Blechschmidt was released on October 10 after nearly three months in the hands of his abductors.