NATO special forces rescued two foreign women and killed five kidnappers in a "breath-taking" pre-dawn raid today on a cave in Afghanistan's remote and mountainous Badakhshan province.
The women, who worked for Swiss-based charity Medair, were named as Briton Helen Johnston, 28, and Kenyan Moragwe Oirere, 26. Two Afghan colleagues kidnapped with them on May 22 were also freed unharmed.
All are well, Afghan officials told AFP.
"The mission to rescue the hostages was launched in the early hours of today under cover of darkness with the assistance of helicopters," a spokesman for NATO'S International Security Assistance Force said.
"The hostages were being held in a cave in the mountains."
British forces took part in the operation, which was authorised by Prime Minister David Cameron, the British Foreign Office (FCO) said.
The prime minister said he authorised the rescue attempt yesterday afternoon, after becoming increasingly concerned about the safety of Johnston and her colleagues.
"It was an extraordinarily brave, breath-taking even, operation that our troops had to carry out," he said. "I pay tribute to their skill and dedication."
The victims were...
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