In the latest developments regarding the militant outfits like the Taliban, six crew members of the Pakistani Mi—17 helicopter, who had been taken captives by the Afghani Taliban after their chopper had crashed in the latter’s nation, were released on Saturday and arrived in the Pakistani capital city of Islamabad.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria expressed that they were joyous as the release orders came through, and the crew of Punjab government helicopter has also been recovered safely. The return happened through negotiations, in an inter-tribe exchange on the Pakistan—Afghan border in FATA, if sources are to be believed further. The crew comprised of five Pakistani citizens and a Russian expert.
The MI—17 transport helicopter was en route Russia for maintenance check and efficiency, when it crash landed on August 4th, in a Taliban-dominated region of Logar. The rebels eventually made the crew members their hostages.
“All crew members were handed over to Pakistani in Kurram tribal region,” an official concluded in his press statement.
Source: The Hindu.
Picture(s): Various agencies
Tags: Pakistani crew Pakistani Mi—17 helicopter Taliban
