Released 3 Indian hostages in exchange for 11 of its members: Afghan Taliban

Mangalore Today News Network

Islamabad, Oct 07, 2019 : The Afghan Taliban said it has freed three Indian engineers held hostage for over a year in an exchange for the release of 11 of its members, including some high-ranking officials of the militant group, a media report said on Monday, News18 reported.

 

According to a report in the Express Tribune, the swap took place on Sunday at an undisclosed location.

The Taliban officials were quoted on the condition on anonymity, citing what they described as the sensitive nature of the issue, the paper cited a RFE/RL report.

The officials refused to say who the militant group exchanged the prisoners with and whether the freed Taliban members were being held by Afghan authorities or US forces in Afghanistan.

The officials said the freed Taliban leaders include Sheikh Abdur Rahim and Mawlawi Abdur Rashid, who had served as the insurgent group’s governors of Kunar and

Nimroz provinces respectively during the Taliban administration before it was deposed by the US-led forces in 2001.

The Taliban officials provided a photo and footage of what they said was the freed militants being greeted after their release. There was no immediate comment from Afghan or Indian authorities.

Seven Indian engineers working for a power plant in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan Province were kidnapped in May 2018.

No group has claimed responsibility for their abduction.

One of the hostages was released in March, but the fate of the others remains unknown.