Yesterday, after more than three weeks in captivity, Clementina Cantoni has been released from a Taliban-affiliated criminal gang. She was abducted on the 16th of May in Kabul by gunmen who stopped her car and forced her out. Ms Cantoni was in Afghanistan as an aid worker for Care International since September 2003.
Ms Clementina spend the night in the Italian embassy in Kabul where, according to the ambassador she relaxed, ate a dish of spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chillies, and talked with her parents in Italy before going to sleep.
There seems to be some confusion about the exact terms of the release of Ms Clementina, with the Afghan government stating that no compromise was made with the gang led by Timor Shah. However, the Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Fini last night called into a popular current affairs show on RAI (Italian state television) to confirm that in exchange for Clementina four prisoners held in an Afghan jail were released to the Italians forces in Kabul. Among the prisoners was also Timor Shah’s mother. A key role in the release was played by a very influential local businessman who provided guarantees to Timor Shah’s group regarding the release of the Afghan prisoners.
Ms Clementina is flying back to Italy today.
