A Canadian man, held by the Taliban in Afghanistan since November 2010, has been released.
Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion, in a statement on Monday, said that efforts to win Colin Rutherford’s release were successful.
Rutherford was visiting Afghanistan as a tourist when he was captured by the Taliban over five years. The Taliban released a video of Rutherford in 2011 and accused the then 26-year-old of being a spy.
Rutherford insisted he was not a spy and had travelled to Afghanistan to study historical sites and shrines. He said in the video that he was an auditor from Canada and came as a tourist.
It was not immediately clear how his release came about, but Dion thanked the government of Qatar for its assistance.
“Canada is very pleased that efforts undertaken to secure the release of Colin Rutherford from captivity have been successful,” Dion said.
“We look forward to Mr. Rutherford being able to return to Canada and reunite with his family and loved ones.”
The Canadian Circulations Audit Board said in an email that Rutherford was working for them in Toronto when he went on vacation to Afghanistan.
“This is great news,” Tim Peel, the company’s vice-president, said in an email. “We wish him a safe and speedy return and would like to thank all the parties involved in securing his freedom. “
