Canadian Colin Rutherford freed 5 years after Taliban kidnapping

A Toronto man has been freed more than five years after he was kidnapped in Afghanistan, where he said he had gone as a tourist.

In a press release issued Monday afternoon, Global Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion said Colin Rutherford has been released from captivity and that consular officials are working to bring him home to Canada as soon as possible.

“Canada is very pleased that efforts undertaken to secure the release of Colin Rutherford from captivity have been successful,” Dion’s statement said. “We look forward to Mr. Rutherford being able to return to Canada and reunite with his family and loved ones.”

Few details are available as to how consular officials secured Rutherford’s release but Dion extended “heartfelt thanks” to the Government of Qatar for its help in the matter in his press release.

Qatari officials have become known for their work as back-channel liaisons with the Taliban in recent years.

The country hosted tentative peace talks in May 2015 between Afghan officials and Taliban insurgents.

Qatari officials were also reported to have helped negotiate the release of captured American Sgt. Bowe Berhdahl in 2014.

The Qatari embassy in Ottawa has not yet responded to a request for comment on the matter.

Rutherford was 26 when he was captured by the Taliban during a vacation in Afghanistan.

Several months after his capture, the Taliban released a video of Rutherford and threatened to try him for espionage.

Until now, there had been little information available about how negotiations for his release were progressing.

Agencies/Canadajournal