Kidnapped Indian aid worker rescued

Indian aid worker Judith D’Souza, who was kidnapped in Kabul on June 9 by suspected militants, has been rescued. Ms D’Souza, 40, was working for the Aga Khan Foundation in Kabul and was kidnapped from outside her office in heart of Kabul.

While announcing the rescue of the kidnapped woman, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Saturday,“I am happy to inform you that Judith D’Souza has been rescued.” Ms Swaraj thanked the Afghan authorities for securing her release. “Thank you Afghanistan — for all your help and support in rescuing #Judith. Judith D’Souza is with us — safe and in good spirits. She will reach her Motherland at the earliest. Vande Mataram,” the minister further added saying she has spoken to Ms D’Souza.

Ms D’Souza, who hails from Kolkata, reached India late Saturday evening and met the foreign minister. It is still not clear who Ms D’Souza’s kidnappers were or how her release was secured. She had been abducted along with two others.

The external affairs minister appreciated efforts made by India’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Manpreet Vohra, in ensuring her release. Ms D’Souza’s family in Kolkata thanked the government for its efforts to secure her release.

“We are thankful to the Indian government for the rescue of our sister. We are now waiting for her to be back home. We would request the media to respect our privacy,” Ms D’Souza’s sister Agnes told the media.

The family had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June requesting his intervention in ensuring her release.

In the letter, the family members had said that the “brave, thoughtful, generous and compassionate” Ms D’Souza had been working in Afghanistan for the well-being of the Afghan people and “as an ambassador of goodwill from India’s people”.

During a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the annual summit of Shanghai Co-operation Organisation in Tashkent last month, Mr Modi had requested the latter’s intervention in securing Judith’s release.