Taliban set free 17 civilians taken hostage in Sar-i-Pul

SAR-I-PUL (Pajhwok): Local officials said on Friday that 17 civilians have been freed a day after they were kidnapped in the Sancharak district of northe Sar-I-Pul province.
Goveor Mohammad Zahir Wahdat told Pajhwok Afghan News the rebels freed the passengers, who were seized in Deh Murda area as a result of intervention by tribal elders.
He said the releases came last night after fruitful negotiations between area elders and the Taliban. All hostages were civilians from the Balkhab district of the province.
The men were kidnapped while traveling from the district center to the provincial capital, according to the goveor, who would not comment on the motive behind the kidnappings.
But a resident of the area, who did not want to be named, claimed the 17 people had been set free in exchange for a wounded militant named Naqibullah, who was detained at a hospital some days back.
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