Two French aid workers were abducted in Afghanistan after gunmen tied up guards and broke into the guest house where they were sleeping, humanitarian organisation Action Against Hunger said on Friday.

The organisation said the two were kidnapped in the early hours of Friday in the town of Nili in central Afghanistan. It said the kidnappers drove away in several vehicles but gave no further details on the incident and did not identify the two.

It said it had suspended operations in Afghanistan, where it set up its first mission in 1979 and where it has conducted a series of operations since 1995.

The French Foreign Ministry confirmed the kidnapping and said a crisis centre had been set up to handle the case with authorities in Afghanistan and Action Against Hunger.

The abduction comes after the kidnapping in May of a French businessman, who was released last month after weeks of behind the scenes negotiations.