The Australian Government is working to confirm the reported kidnapping of a female Australian aid worker in Afghanistan.
A group of armed men in military uniforms reportedly kidnapped the woman from the office of a non-profit organisation in the eastern city of Jalalabad on Thursday, according to local media sources. 
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is trying to confirm reports of the abduction, which is yet to be claimed by any group. She is believed to be a dual Australian-UK citizen.
Initial reports suggested the woman worked for the Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR), but the Danish Refugee Council has since clarified that she was not their employee.
.@pajhwok While we are very saddened to hear this news, we wish to make clear, that the person in question does not work for Dacaar or DRC.
??? DanishRefugeeCouncil (@DRC_dk)      April 28, 2016
Fairfax Media understands the woman worked for Zardozi, an Afghan non-profit organisation which links impoverished female tailors and embroiders to local markets. The organisation operates with support from UK aid.
Jalalabad is the capital of the Nangarhar province, close to the border with Pakistan. Attaullah Khogyanai, spokesperson for the governor of the province, told local media the woman "worked in the non-profit's handicrafts department".
Local journalist Bilal Sarwary told Fairfax Media that police and intelligence sources had already made several arrests, including a rickshaw driver, a guard and a baker.
It is believed the woman's kidnappers were local gang members and not from terrorist groups. Mr Sarwary said checkpoints had been created to prevent the woman from being taken to districts where Islamist militant groups the Taliban, al-Qaeda and Islamic State operate.
He said the kidnappers knew the woman's movements and were wearing uniforms belonging to the ASNF - the Afghanistan National Security Forces.  
#AFG Police in Jalalabad city tell me, a Western aid worker left Spin Ghar hotel and was staying in city with a local Afghan (1/2)
??? Bilal Sarwary (@bsarwary)      April 28, 2016
organization. Around 5:30 this morning she was kidnapped by armed men wearing military uniform. The kidnappers knew her movements(2/2)
??? Bilal Sarwary (@bsarwary)       April 28, 2016
According to Mr Sarwary, it is believed the woman was working with Zardozi and had left the local Spin Ghar Hotel to stay in the city. 
On Friday the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement that "the Australian Government is working to confirm the reported kidnapping of an Australian in Afghanistan."
A security source, requesting anonymity, said police have detained eight suspects, adding the kidnapped woman had not requested protection.
In   February, five Afghan employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross were abducted by unidentified armed assailants in southeastern Afghanistan but freed four days later.
Kidnappings, especially for ransom, are a common occurrence in the country, and frequently target employees of humanitarian organisations.
with AAP