Taliban frees 3 Afghan aid workers

The Taliban on Sunday released three Afghan aid workers, and announced a new operation targeting foreign and government forces.

The three aid workers, Mohammad Hashim and brothers Ghulam Rasul and Ghulam Azrat, were with the French-based group Terre d’Enfance. They had been abducted April 3 along with two French nationals in the southwestern province of Nimruz.

The Taliban released Celine Cordelier on April 28 and Eric Damfreville on May 11.

“The three Afghans who were detained with the two French aid workers have been released today in Nimruz province at the request of tribal leaders,” purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said Sunday.

After kidnapping the Terre d’Enfance group, the Taliban demanded the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan. France pulled 200 special forces out late last year but still has about 1,000 troops stationed in the country.

Ahmadi also said the Taliban had launched a new operation targeting government and foreign forces, as at least nine Afghan security officials were killed.

Speaking via satellite phone, Ahmadi said the Taliban would “start this operation today in all of Afghanistan.”