Rescued US-Canadian family heads back home on PIA flight
Caitlin Coleman, her husband Joshua Boyle & their three children were recovered by Pakistan Army on Thursday
A still image from a video posted by the Taliban on social media on 19 December 2016 shows American Caitlan Coleman, left, speaking next to her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle and their two sons. PHOTO: REUTERS
The US-Canadian family, rescued by Pakistan Army during an intelligence based operation (IBO), flew out of the country from Islamabad on Thursday, said two security officials while speaking on the condition of anonymity.
The family, aboard Pakistan International Airlines PK785, is headed back to Canada via London, official sources confirmed.
American Caitlin Coleman and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, were kidnapped while backpacking in Afghanistan in 2012 by the Taliban-allied Haqqani network. Coleman was pregnant at the time, and a video released by the Taliban in December showed their two sons born while they were hostages.
Pakistan Army rescues Canadian-American family held hostage by Taliban
Earlier Reuters reported two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity said that the US military had been ready to fly the family out of the country but said Boyle had refused to board the aircraft.
US intelligence agencies had been tracking the hostages and on Wednesday shared the information that the family had been moved across to Pakistan through Kurram Agency border, said the ISPR. It added the operation by Pakistan Army, based on actionable intelligence from US authorities, was successful.
With additional input from Reuters
The family, aboard Pakistan International Airlines PK785, is headed back to Canada via London, official sources confirmed.
American Caitlin Coleman and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, were kidnapped while backpacking in Afghanistan in 2012 by the Taliban-allied Haqqani network. Coleman was pregnant at the time, and a video released by the Taliban in December showed their two sons born while they were hostages.
Pakistan Army rescues Canadian-American family held hostage by Taliban
Earlier Reuters reported two US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity said that the US military had been ready to fly the family out of the country but said Boyle had refused to board the aircraft.
US intelligence agencies had been tracking the hostages and on Wednesday shared the information that the family had been moved across to Pakistan through Kurram Agency border, said the ISPR. It added the operation by Pakistan Army, based on actionable intelligence from US authorities, was successful.
With additional input from Reuters