No foreigners kidnapped, but some being queried, say Taliban

The Taliban have not kidnapped any foreigner, although some of them are being questioned before being allowed to leave

Afghanistan

, an official of the Islamist militant group said on Saturday.

Just a week after the Taliban's swift takeover of the south Asian nation, Western nations have struggled to ramp up the pace of evacuations amid chaos and reports of violence by the insurgents.

"Our fighters will continue to demonstrate restraint," the Taliban official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

He ruled out incidents of reported kidnappings of foreigners, but added, "We are questioning some of them before they exit the country."

The Taliban have disowned responsibility for the disorder at

Kabul

airport, besieged by thousands desperate to flee the country, and have said the

West

could have had a better plan to evacuate.

At least 12 people have been killed in and around the airport since Sunday,

NATO

and Taliban officials have said, as gun-toting Taliban around it urged those without travel documents to go home.