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Pakistani troops have rescued a five-member North American family, including a Canadian, his US national wife and their three children, from "terrorist custody," the army said Thursday.
The abductees were captured in Afghanistan in 2012 and were kept as hostages there, an army statement said.
US intelligence on Wednesday told Pakistan that the hostages had been moved over the border into northwestern Pakistan, according to the statement.
It did not name the family, but Canadian Joshua Boyle and his American wife Caitlan Coleman were kidnapped by the Afghan Taliban during a backpacking trip in Afghanistan 2012, and are believed to have had at least two children while in captivity.
This still image made from a 2013 video released by the Coleman family shows Caitlan Coleman and her husband, Canadian Joshua Boyle in a militant video given to the family. /AP Photo
According to the army, the operation by the Pakistani forces, based on actionable intelligence from the US authorities, was successful and all hostages were recovered safely and are being repatriated to their country of their origin.
"The success underscores the importance of timely intelligence sharing and Pakistan's continued commitment toward fighting this menace through cooperation between two forces against a common enemy," the army said.
US President Donald Trump has hailed the release as "a positive moment" for the US-Pakistan relationship.
"The Pakistani government's cooperation is a sign that it is honoring America's wishes for it to do more to provide security in the region," said Trump.
(CGTN)
