Taliban frees Afghan aid workers but vows to hit foreign forces

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - The Taliban yesterday released three Afghan aid workers who were kidnapped with two French colleagues nearly two months ago, as the militant group announced a new operation targeting foreign and government forces.

The three aid workers from the France-based group Terre d'Enfance - Mohammad Hashim and brothers Ghulam Rasul and Ghulam Azrat - were abducted April 3 along with the two French nationals in the southwestern province of Nimroz.

The Taliban released the French woman, Celine Cordelier, on April 28, and the man, Eric Damfreville, on May 11.

"The three Afghans who were detained with the two French aid workers have been released today in Nimroz province at the request of tribal leaders," purported Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said yesterday.

After taking the Terre d'Enfance group captive, the Taliban demanded the withdrawal of all remaining French troops from Afghanistan. France pulled 200 French special forces out of Afghanistan late last year and still has about 1,000 troops stationed in the country.

The French aid workers were kidnapped two weeks after Afghan authorities released five Taliban prisoners in exchange for an Italian newspaper reporter who was abducted along with his two Afghan colleagues in southern Helmand province on March 5. The two Afghans were killed.

Ahmadi also said the Taliban launched a new operation targeting government and foreign forces in Afghanistan, as at least nine Afghan security officials were killed.

In southeastern Paktika province, the Taliban detonated several roadside bombs as a two-vehicle police convoy passed, then opened fire, killing six officers, said Ghamai Khan, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

In the eastern province of Konar, a roadside bomb killed three Afghan security guards working for the coalition, said the provincial police chief, Gen. Abdul Jalal Jalal.

Ahmadi said by satellite phone from an undisclosed location that the Taliban would "start this operation today in all of Afghanistan."

"In this operation, we will target our enemies and use our tactics - suicide bombs, remote-controlled [roadside bombs] and ambushes - against occupying forces and the government," he said.