NATO frees Afghan journalist who was held over suspected terror links

[News_Editor]

NATO frees Afghan journalist who was held over suspected terror links

2010-12-06 15:02:30 GMT+7 (ICT)

KABUL (BNO NEWS) -- Afghan and coalition forces on Sunday released an Afghan journalist who was suspected of being associated with an insurgent leader, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said on Monday.

Pajhwok Afghan News journalist Mali Khan was detained during an ISAF operation in the Yabubi area of Sabari district in Khost province on late Friday evening. "The target of the operation was a Haqqani leader, who has conducted direct fire and [improvised explosive device] attacks on Afghan and coalition forces," said U.S. Army Major Sunset Belinsky, referring to an insurgent group which is closely allied with the Taliban.

The alliance said its forces went to a compound in the Yabubi area where they called for all occupants to exit the buildings peacefully before they went in and cleared the building. "The forces conducting the operation detained the Haqqani leader and four of his associates," Belinsky said earlier. "One of the associates identified himself as a journalist for Pajhwok."

Pajhwok reported that Khan was arrested along with his three brothers, which included an employee of the transport department.

But on Sunday, Belinsky said Khan had been released. "During a further assessment of the Pajhwok reporter, they determined he has not done anything to justify holding him longer," she said, adding that he was released on Sunday morning.

Pajhwok is an Afghan news agency and was founded in 2004 by Danish Karokhel and Farida Nekzad, who were both among the recipients of the 2008 International Press Freedom Awards by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

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