WORLD> Asia-Pacific
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WORLD> Asia-Pacific
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Taliban free captive Chinese engineer in Pakistan
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-15 16:30 ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani Taliban militants have freed a Chinese engineer held captive for nearly six months, officials said Sunday, as fears rose for the safety of an abducted American threatened with imminent death by his kidnappers.
It was not immediately clear what prompted Long Xiaowei's release, including whether a ransom was paid or militants were freed in exchange, but the news that he was safe was a rare bright spot in a month of heightened security concerns for foreigners in Pakistan. Long's release came days before a visit to China by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari. Earlier this month, a Polish geologist held by Taliban fighters was apparently beheaded on a video obtained by news media and authorities and believed by the Polish government to be authentic. On Friday, the kidnappers of American U.N. official John Solecki threatened to kill him within 72 hours and issued a 20-second video of a blindfolded Solecki saying he was "sick and in trouble." The abductions have underscored the overall deteriorating security conditions in Pakistan, a critical US ally in the fight against terrorism, as it battles a Taliban insurgency in its northwest regions bordering Afghanistan. On Saturday, a US missile strike on a compound in the area where dozens of Taliban militants had gathered killed 27 people, intelligence officials said. Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing attached high importance to the case of the kidnapped engineer. Long was let go Saturday and taken to the Chinese embassy Sunday morning, said Yao Jing, deputy head of China's mission in Islamabad. The engineer appeared in good condition and expected to go back to China after a medical checkup, China's Foreign Ministry said. |
