Afghan forces free 32 hostages from Taliban-run detention centre

Kabul March 13 (IANS) At least 32 Afghans were set free after army commandos raided a Taliban-run detention centre in the southern Helmand province the Defence Ministry said on Monday.

Units of Afghan National Defence and Security Forces raided a Taliban prison in Cha-e-Mirza locality Nad Ali district on Sunday night and released 32 people who had been taken hostage by Taliban from the district and surrounding areas over the past months the Defence Ministry said in a statement that was cited by Xinhua.

Among the released were four policemen the statement said.

The freed people were shifted to Shorab Camp a main Afghan military base in Helmand before joining their families in the province 555 km south of Afghanistan s capital of Kabul.

Helmand notorious for poppy growing is also a known Taliban stronghold.

--IANS
ahm/dg