Abducted Greek national released by Taliban

Source: Press Trust of India

Peshawar, Apr 8 (PTI) Taliban have set free a Greek NGO worker whom they had abducted from the restive northwest seven months ago, officials said today, amid reports that Pakistan government released a militant commander and paid Rs five million in ransom for his freedom.

Athanasios Lerounis, who was abducted from the Chitral area of the troubled North West Frontier Province in September last year, was freed somewhere along the border opposite Afghanistan's Nuristan province.

Chitral district administration chief Rahmatullah Wazir said that law enforcement agencies and elders of the border area played a key role in the Greek national's release, he said.

Wazir denied that any ransom was paid to the Taliban for Lerounis' release but other sources said the Pakistan government had released Maulana Rahmatuddin, a militant leader of Nuristan, and paid five million rupees for the freedom of the abducted man.

Read more: http://www.ptinews.com/news/601384_Abducted-Greek-national-released-by-Taliban

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There are several other stories out there on Lerounis' release, all denying any payment or prisoner release. This is how it is being reported in India and Pakistan, however. Of note is that Rahmatuddin was one of three militants held by Pakistan that were mentioned by name in the kidnappers' original ransom demand.