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UK reporter freed in Afghan raid | UK reporter freed in Afghan raid |
(9 minutes later) | |
A UK journalist abducted in Afghanistan has been freed by Nato troops in a pre-dawn raid, an Afghan official has said. | A UK journalist abducted in Afghanistan has been freed by Nato troops in a pre-dawn raid, an Afghan official has said. |
New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell was kidnapped on Saturday along with Afghan interpreter Sultan Munadi while investigating a Nato air strike. | New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell was kidnapped on Saturday along with Afghan interpreter Sultan Munadi while investigating a Nato air strike. |
The translator was killed by Taliban fighters during the operation. | The translator was killed by Taliban fighters during the operation. |
Mr Farrell, who has dual British-Irish nationality, said he was "extracted" by "a lot of soldiers" after a fierce firefight, the New York Times reported. | Mr Farrell, who has dual British-Irish nationality, said he was "extracted" by "a lot of soldiers" after a fierce firefight, the New York Times reported. |
Special forces | Special forces |
Farrell had travelled to Kunduz in northern Afghanistan to investigate an air strike last Friday on two hijacked fuel tankers. | |
Dozens of civilians reportedly died when German commanders called in a US jet to bomb the tankers. | |
The newspaper's website reported he phoned the foreign editor of the newspaper at about 0030 BST (2330 GMT) on Wednesday and said: "I'm out! I'm free." Farrell said he also called his wife. | |
Some reports from Afghanistan suggest that British special forces were involved in the rescue, but the UK defence ministry declined to comment. | Some reports from Afghanistan suggest that British special forces were involved in the rescue, but the UK defence ministry declined to comment. |
A spokeswoman told the BBC: "It was a Nato operation, we do not comment on special forces." | A spokeswoman told the BBC: "It was a Nato operation, we do not comment on special forces." |
In 2004 the journalist was kidnapped in the Iraqi city of Falluja while working for the London Times newspaper. | In 2004 the journalist was kidnapped in the Iraqi city of Falluja while working for the London Times newspaper. |
Farrell is the second New York Times journalist to be kidnapped in Afghanistan in a year. | |
In June, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Rohde and his Afghan colleague were abducted in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and moved across the border to Pakistan from where they escaped. | In June, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter David Rohde and his Afghan colleague were abducted in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and moved across the border to Pakistan from where they escaped. |