Australian aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan released

An Australian aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan in April has been released and is "safe and well," Australia's foreign minister said on Monday.      

 

Kidnapping is a major problem in Afghanistan, where several foreigners have been abducted in recent years, although Afghans are the worst affected. Money is the main motive.   

 

The Australian, Kerry Jane Wilson, who was taken by two armed men from the offices of a charity in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad, has been freed, Julie Bishop confirmed in an emailed statement.    

 

"I deeply appreciate the work of the authorities in Afghanistan whose support and assistance facilitated her release," Bishop said, adding that no further details would be provided about the circumstances of the release. 

 

Kidnapping has become a lucrative source of income for militant Islamist groups in recent years, and the topic of whether to pay for their release is hotly debated.      

 

Australia does not pay ransom to kidnappers, as a matter of policy, Bishop said in April.  

 

Earlier in August an Australian and an American, both teachers at the American University of Afghanistan, were kidnapped in the capital, Kabul.          

 

Since June, two Indian aid workers have been kidnapped in Kabul and released after being held for several weeks each. 

 

At least two other foreigners were kidnapped in Kabul last year and then released.