Four Turkish engineers kidnapped by Afghanistan’s Taliban more than eight months ago were freed overnight after intervention by tribal elders. The men, taken captive in December in eastern Paktia province, were handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the neighbouring province of Ghazni, an AFP reporter in the area said. “We were kidnapped by the Taliban eight-and-a-half months ago. We’re released on the occasion of Eid by Ameer-ul Momineen Mullah Mohammad Omar,” one of the captives told AFP, referring to the Taliban leader. The Turk, who gave his name only as Imam, said no ransom was paid and “we were not tortured” while in captivity, before being rushed to Ghazni city.
Authorities refused to give details but Haji Zahir, a Ghazni province tribal elder who facilitated the release, told AFP that the Taliban freed the four “only on the occasion of Eid.” Eid al-Fitr is a major Muslim festival which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The release of prisoners at this time is an Afghan tradition. “Yes, we freed the four Turkish engineers on the occasion of Eid,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahed told AFP.