AFGHANISTAN: Officials confirm release of Japanese journalist Kosuke Tsuneoka who was kidnapped by the Taliban in April

Record ID: 287229

  • Title: AFGHANISTAN: Officials confirm release of Japanese journalist Kosuke Tsuneoka who was kidnapped by the Taliban in April
  • Date: 6th September 2010
  • Summary: KUNDUZ, AFGHANISTAN (SEPTEMBER 5, 2010) (REUTERS) AFGHAN POLICE STANDING OUTSIDE KUNDUZ GOVERNOR OFFICE VARIOUS OF ARMED GUARDS OUTSIDE BUILDING OF KUNDUZ GOVERNOR (SOUNDBITE) (Dari) MAHBOBULLAH SAYEEDI, SPOKESMAN FOR KUNDUZ GOVERNOR, SAYING: "The kidnapped journalist has been freed now. Our security investigation indicates that he was kept in Immam Saheb district of Kunduz in an area controlled by the Taliban. Our operational information indicated that until three days ago he was kept in Dasht-e Archi district, controlled by the Taliban." BUSY STREET OF KUNDUZ MORE OF KUNDUZ STREET AFGHAN POLICE GUARDING
  • Embargoed: 21st September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Afghanistan
  • Country: Afghanistan
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA5YMWDV4MKJ97G9DCGD3NC0DLI
  • Story Text: Afghan officials confirmed on Sunday (September 5) that a Japanese journalist kidnapped in northern Afghanistan in April has been freed.
    Kosuke Tsuneoka, a 41-year-old freelance journalist, was now at Japan's embassy in the Afghan capital, Kabul, Kyodo news agency reported earlier on Sunday, quoting Japanese government sources.
    "The kidnapped journalist has been freed now. Our security investigation indicates that he was kept in Immam Saheb district of Kunduz in an area controlled by the Taliban. Our operational information indicated that until three days ago he was kept in Dasht-e Archi district, controlled by the Taliban," said Mahbobullah Sayeedi, spokesman for the Kunduz governor.
    Tsuneoka, who has been in Afghanistan since mid-March, went missing in the northern city of Kunduz near the border with Tajikistan.
    The governor of Kunduz, Mohammad Omar told Reuters by phone that he was freed on Saturday (September 4) in the Dasht-e Archi district of Kunduz. Omar said Tsuneoka was most probably released in exchange for money, but gave no further details.
    The Taliban, fighting an increasingly bloody insurgency against the Afghan government and foreign forces, said at the time Tsuneoka went missing that they had abducted him.
    The Islamist group could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
    The Taliban use Kunduz as a base for launching attacks in some parts of the north, once one of the more peaceful areas of Afghanistan. The Taliban have spread the insurgency out of their traditional strongholds in the south and east in recent years.
    The kidnapping of Afghans and foreigners has become lucrative in recent years, for criminal gangs and the Taliban.
    Violence is at its worst across Afghanistan since the Taliban were ousted from power by U.S.-backed Afghan forces in late 2001.
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