At least 10 more passengers belonging to Hazara ethnic minority have been abducted from Ghazni province while the fate of 31 other Hazaras abducted last month is still unknown.

The fresh abduction took place Sunday when the passengers were traveling from Jaghori district to the Ghazni city, said Hassan Reza Yousufi, a member of Ghazni Provincial Council.

The security forces have launched search operations in the surrounding areas to rescue the abductees, Yousufi added.

However, no group including the Taliban has claimed responsibility for the abduction.

The incident came three weeks after unknown armed masked man abducted at least 31 Hazaras from Shah Joy district of Zabul when the passengers were traveling on Kabul-Kandahar highway.

Despite negotiations between the elders of Zabul and alleged abductors, the 31 abductees are yet to be rescued, something many blame on newly-emerged Daesh group.

The abductees are said to be transferred to Khak Afghan district of Zabul where the security forces have killed more than 50 insurgents so far in the operation to rescue the hostages.