Afghanistan: Canadian freed after five years in Taliban captivity

Publisher	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Publication Date	11 January 2016
Cite as	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Afghanistan: Canadian freed after five years in Taliban captivity, 11 January 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/56c428de6.html [accessed 20 May 2023]
Disclaimer	This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

January 11, 2016

A Canadian who was taken hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan five years ago has been freed.

Colin Rutherford was taken hostage while on a trip to Afghanistan in 2010.

Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion said on January 11 that he was released with the help of Qatar.

Dion did not disclose any other details.

Rutherford was on a vacation to Afghanistan five years ago when he was captured. He appeared in a video released by the Taliban in 2011.

Based on reporting by AFP and CBC