Afghan policemen stand guard in Paghman district outside Kabul in September. About 35 Taliban militants and three police were killed after about 100 insurgents attacked a district centre in southern Afghanistan, a provincial police chief said Wednesday. (AFP/File/Massoud Hossaini)US Commandos Rescue American Hostage Near Kabul
-- Yahoo News/AP
-- Yahoo News/AP
KABUL, Afghanistan – U.S. Special Forces soldiers freed a kidnapped American working for the Army Corps of Engineers during a nighttime mission last week — a rare hostage rescue in a country where ransom abductions have become increasingly common.
The American, who had been working on U.S. government-funded infrastructure projects, was abducted in mid-August and had been held just 30 miles west of Kabul with no public notice of his abduction. The dangerous mission to free the U.S. contractor killed several insurgents, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
Taliban militants have kidnapped several international aid workers and journalists in recent years and have been paid large ransoms or negotiated the release of imprisoned Taliban fighters in exchange.
But increasingly aggressive crime syndicates are also raking in big money by kidnapping wealthy Afghans and foreigners and demanding ransoms.
"This guy didn't have any money at all. It was like a personal life mission for him to help others," said Bruce J. Huffman, a spokesman for the Army Corps of Engineers in Afghanistan. "We all felt sick about it, because he was never going to be able to pay a ransom. He's over here helping people and they're trying to make a buck off him."
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More War News Updates On Afghanistan
Security developments in Afghanistan, Oct 22 -- Reuters
Nine Afghan soldiers die in 'friendly fire' attack by US warplanes -- Times Online
Coalition airstrike kills 9 Afghan soldiers -- USA Today
US strikes kill Taliban commander, Afghan soldiers -- Long War Journal
Afghanistan: Fight Between Rebels And Police, 38 Killed -- AGI
55 militants killed in southern Afghanistan -- International News
35 Taliban, three police killed in Afghanistan attack: police -- France 24
Coalition airstrike kills Taliban commander -- CNN
Afghanistan: Taliban fail to seize Lashkar Gah -- Military Watch
Tom Blackwell in Afghanistan: The bubble has burst -- National Post
'Gayle died doing what she loved' -- IOL
Brown slams aid worker's murder as 'barbaric' -- AFP
Christians in Kabul are warned: you are being watched by Taliban agents -- The Independent
US Plane Destroyed in Afghanistan Accident -- Voice Of America