Taliban Frees Helicopter Passengers, Crew Captured In Afghanistan

Pakistani officials say the Afghan Taliban has freed the seven people who were aboard a crashed Pakistani helicopter.

Six Pakistanis and a Russian pilot were captured on August 4 when a Pakistani government aircraft crash-landed in the eastern Afghan province of Logar.

Pakistani intelligence officials told RFE/RL that the seven were handed over late on August 12 in Pakistan’s Kurram tribal district bordering Afghanistan.

Islamabad said the Mi-17 transport helicopter was on its way to Russia via Uzbekistan for maintenance when it crashed in Afghanistan.