UN hostages set free in Afghanistan
Tuesday, 23 November 2004
UN hostages set free in Afghanistan
The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, has paid tribute to Afghanistan's government for its role in securing the release of three UN workers who were kidnapped in Kabul nearly four weeks ago.
The exact reason why they have been released, remains unclear. The Afghan interior minister has denied that any deal has been done with the kidnappers. "No prisoners were released, no money was paid, no demand was accepted," he said.
Annetta Flanigan from Northern Ireland, Kosovan Shqipe Habibi and Filipino diplomat Angelito Nayan were abducted at gunpoint from Kabul last month.
They had been working in Afghanistan, helping to conduct the recent presidential election.
The three were released on Tuesday morning and taken by UN staff to a military base where they were identified and examined by medical staff and are said to be in good shape.
The family of Ms Flanigan said they were "overjoyed" that she and her colleagues had been released.
"After all the terrible anxiety of the last 27 days it is an incredible relief to know that Annetta is safe and well and now reunited with her husband, Jose," they said.
On Monday, two houses in Kabul were raided in an operation aimed at freeing the hostages. Ten people were detained.
American and Afghan soldiers used explosives to smash their way into the houses in the pre-dawn raid.
Mr Jalali said one suspected kidnapper was killed and four left wounded in operations on Monday.
All the hostage-takers "will be brought to justice", he promised.
