Free at last: Two Journalists Kidnapped By Taliban Return to France After 18 Months In Captivity
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Two French television journalists kidnapped in Afghanistan by Talibans arrived in France on Thursday, after 547 days in captivity.
Cameraman Stéphane Taponier and reporter Hervé Ghesquière, were freed on Wednesday along with their interpreter, Reza Din.
The three were working for state network France 3 and were kidnapped in November 2009 in the mountains of Kapisa, east of the Afghan capital Kabul thus spending 18 months in captivity - the longest period of time since .
They were greeted by their families at the Villacoublay air base outside Paris on Thursday morning. Also there to greet them were the French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.
The Taliban claimed reponsibility for the abduction, and accused the journalists of spying.
In January, Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden threatened France in an audio tape message and said that the journalists' release would depend on France withdrawing soldiers from Afghanistan.
It is not clear whether France made any concessions to secure the release, but Foreign Minister Alain Juppe insisted that France did not pay ransom for hostages.
He said Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai had helped Paris secure the return of Taponier and Ghesquiere. France has nearly 4,000 troops in Afghanistan fighting against the Taliban.
Cameraman Stéphane Taponier and reporter Hervé Ghesquière, were freed on Wednesday along with their interpreter, Reza Din.
The three were working for state network France 3 and were kidnapped in November 2009 in the mountains of Kapisa, east of the Afghan capital Kabul thus spending 18 months in captivity - the longest period of time since .
They were greeted by their families at the Villacoublay air base outside Paris on Thursday morning. Also there to greet them were the French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.
The Taliban claimed reponsibility for the abduction, and accused the journalists of spying.
In January, Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden threatened France in an audio tape message and said that the journalists' release would depend on France withdrawing soldiers from Afghanistan.
It is not clear whether France made any concessions to secure the release, but Foreign Minister Alain Juppe insisted that France did not pay ransom for hostages.
He said Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai had helped Paris secure the return of Taponier and Ghesquiere. France has nearly 4,000 troops in Afghanistan fighting against the Taliban.
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- groups:
- News and Politics
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- tags:
- Afghanistan, Taliban, Journalism, Kidnapping
