BREAKING NEWS

Canadian man captured by Taliban five years ago freed

OTTAWA A Canadian man whom the Taliban seized in Afghanistan five years ago and accused of being a spy has been released with the aid of Qatar, Foreign Minister Stephane Dion said on Monday.
Dion gave no more details about the operation to free Colin Rutherford, whose capture the Taliban announced in February 2011. In a video released in May that year, Rutherford - then 26 - said he was in Afghanistan as a tourist and denied working for the Canadian government.
"Canada is very pleased that efforts undertaken to secure the release of Colin Rutherford from captivity have been successful," Dion said in a statement.
"We look forward to Mr. Rutherford being able to return to Canada and reunite with his family and loved ones," he said, extending "heartfelt thanks" to the government of Qatar for its help.
Officials at the Qatari embassy in Ottawa were not immediately available for comment.