An Afghan consulate official who was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen from Pakistan's Balochistan province in July has been freed, Afghan officials said Saturday.
Hashim Ebrat, a staffer of the Afghan consulate, had been kidnapped from Quetta, Xinhua reported.
Afghan embassy spokesman Zardasht Shams confirmed that Ebrat had rejoined his family. He avoided more comments when asked as to who were behind the kidnapping and on what conditions he was released.
Ebrat's family sources and Afghan officials had earlier claimed that the captors had demanded release of three Taliban leaders from Kandahar jail.
--Indo-Asian News Serivce
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