He was last heard of on Saturday when he was arrested by Taliban police during a security clampdown in Kabul. It is feared he is now in one of the Afghan capital’s notorious prisons. A security source said Mr Bailey, who is from southern England and works for a non-governmental organisa-tion, was arrested at gunpoint.

       It is believed he had worked for some years in Afghanistan and returned in September, after the West’s withdrawal.

       The source said: “We were quite surprised he went back to Kabul. The government is making it very difficult for the few ex-pats there.

       “A lot of people are trying to get to the bottom of what has happened, where he is being held and under what charges.”

       The Taliban took over the running of Afghanistan in August after storming Kabul, effectively ending 20 years of war against occupying Nato forces.

       But it is now engaged in a brutal clampdown on anyone who helped western forces, such as translators. Many Afghans are missing and presumed killed by Taliban security officials.