ROME, April 20 (Reuters) - An Italian aid group threatened on Friday to shut down its hospitals and other health centres in Afghanistan unless Kabul frees one of its Afghan employees.
The group, Emergency, has already pulled its international staff from Afghanistan in protest at the arrest of Rahamtullah Hanafi, who acted as a go-between with the Taliban helping to secure the release of a kidnapped Italian journalist in March.
The Afghan head of security services has said Hanafi, who runs one of Emergency's Afghan hospitals and has been detained since March 20, had connections with the Taliban and al Qaeda.
"If the Afghan government does not deny the denigratory comments made by the head of the secret services and free Hanafi, we will close our hospitals," said Emergency's head Teresa Strada at a rally demanding Hanafi's release in Rome.
The group, which runs three hospitals and a number of health centres in Afghanistan, said it could stop its operations in two weeks.
The Afghan government said on Thursday it hoped the medical charity would return to its "noble" mission of treating the sick. In a statement, it said Hanafi was being questioned in accordance with the law.
Reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo was released after Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi pressed President Hamid Karzai's government to free five jailed Taliban in exchange. Two Afghans who were working for Mastrogiacomo were killed.
Prodi has defended himself against criticisms at home and abroad for giving in to Taliban demands.
