Journalist freed

A phone call placed by British national Stephen Farrell to his colleagues at the New York Times confirmed the news: "I'm out! I'm free!"

The newspaper reported that a raid by NATO forces on the Taliban militants holding Farrell and Sultan Munadi, his Afghan interpreter, had successfully freed Farrell, but Munadi was killed in the ensuing firefight.

Bill Keller, executive editor of The Times, said: "We're overjoyed that Steve is free, but deeply saddened that his freedom came at such a cost. We are doing all we can to learn the details of what happened. Our hearts go out to Sultan's family."

Farrell is the second New York Times journalist to be kidnapped in the past year. David Rohde was held for seven months in Afghanistan and Pakisten but was able to escape in June.

Taken from the scene of tanker attack

Farrell and Munadi were kidnapped last Friday while covering the aftermath of a NATO airstrike that destroyed two fuel tankers and left dozens dead. German forces in the area had ordered the attack, and NATO has since acknowledged that civilians were likely among the dead.

According to media reports, Farrell and Munadi were taken by Taliban militants to a house in the northern province of Kunduz. They were held for four days until NATO troops arrived by helicopter and engaged their captors.

Farrell and Munadi then ran out of the house, and shortly after Munadi was shot and killed. Abdul Waheed Omarkheil, district chief of Char Dara district in Kunduz, said a woman who was in the house was killed as well. It was unclear whether NATO forces or the militants killed either victim.

The Associated Press also reported that a British commando was killed in the operation.

mz/AFP/AP/dpa/Reuters
Editor: Trinity Hartman