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Taleban 'release German captive' Taleban 'release German captive'
(30 minutes later)
A German engineer held hostage by the Taleban in southern Afghanistan for nearly three months has been freed, the German government says. A German engineer and four Afghans held hostage in southern Afghanistan for nearly three months have been freed, German and Afghan officials say.
Rudolf Blechschmidt was in the custody of the Afghan authorities, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement in Berlin. Rudolf Blechschmidt was in the custody of the Afghan authorities, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement.
Reports say four Afghans who were also abducted have been freed too. He and the four Afghans were handed over to officials in Wardak province.
Mr Blechschmidt was seized on 18 July along with another German man, who later died of a heart attack. They were seized by the Taleban on 18 July along with another German man, who later died during the ordeal.
Kidnappings have soared in Afghanistan in recent months, where foreign and Afghan troops are battling the Taleban.
'Relieved'
Mr Steinmeier said the German ambassador in the Afghan capital, Kabul, had spoken to Mr Blechschmidt by telephone, Reuters news agency reports.
"We are all pleased and relieved," he said in his statement in Berlin.
Shortly after they abducted the Germans, the Taleban said they had killed both men because Germany had ignored a demand to withdraw its 3,000 troops from Afghanistan.
But in August Mr Blechschmidt appealed for help in a video broadcast on a private Afghan television channel.
He was seen lying on a sheet on the ground, clutching his chest and coughing on the video.
The other German was found dead on 21 July. One Afghan who was also seized managed to escape.
It is not clear exactly what led to Wednesday's releases. The chief of Jaghato district in Wardak province, Mohammad Nahim, said six detained Taleban fighters had been released in the swap, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Correspondents say kidnap has become a tactic the insurgents have been using more regularly in Afghanistan.