Afghan Taliban release six hostages from Pakistani helicopter crash

The helicopter crashed on August 4 as it was en route from northwest Pakistan to Uzbekistan for maintenance.

Six people taken hostage by the Taliban after a Pakistani government helicopter crashed in eastern Afghanistan earlier this month have been released, Reuters reports.

The helicopter passengers, five Pakistanis and a Russian, arrived in Pakistan's capital Islamabad on Saturday, according to the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A statement from the ministry said that "the six member crew of Punjab government helicopter that went missing in Afghanistan on 4th August 2016 has been recovered and arrived in Islamabad today."

The Mi-17 helicopter crashed on August 4 in the Azra district, in the restive province of Logar, then caught fire as it was en route from Peshawar in northwest Pakistan to Uzbekistan for maintenance.

Kabul has long accused Pakistan of supporting the Taliban and continuing to nurture sanctuaries on its soil in the hope of maintaining influence in Afghanistan.
 [i24news.tv]
13/8/16
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Related:

• Pakistani Taliban May Be Holding Captive Mi-17 Crew 

• Moscow takes steps to release Russian navigator captured by Taliban. The helicopter was heading for Russia for repair and maintenance.

• Pakistani helicopter crash-landed in the central Logar province of Afghanistan