MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Six Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers have been freed from Taliban ’s captivity in northwestern Faryab province, an official said on Thursday.

The soldiers had been abducted after a private helicopter they were traveling in made an emergency landing in Pashtun Kot on November 14, 2015.

At that time, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) had said two ANA soldiers and a foreign national were killed during a clash with Taliban militants after the landing. The rebels took hostage another 18 soldiers and crew members.

Detective manager at the first ANA battalion in Faryab, Maj. Amanullah, told Pajhwok Afghan News six of the kidnapped soldiers were released from a Taliban jail late on Wednesday.

The soldiers released were in good health and efforts were underway to free the rest still under Taliban’s captivity, he said.

A security official, who wished to go unnamed, said the Taliban had transferred the pilots to Qatar.

The Taliban had demanded releasing Qari Salahuddin, their shadowy governor for Faryab, in exchange for releasing the hostages.

Qari Salahuddin was arrested during an operation led by first vice-president, Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, in Faryab last year.

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