Pakistan rescues North American family of five from Taliban

Pakistani troops have rescued a Canadian man, his American wife and their three children from “terrorist custody” following a tip from US intelligence agencies, the army said on Thursday.

The couple were kidnapped in Afghanistan in 2012 and US intelligence on Wednesday told Pakistan that the hostages had been moved over the border into northwestern Pakistan, according to an army statement. It did not say when the rescue took place.

“The success underscores the importance of timely intelligence sharing and Pakistan’s continued commitment towards fighting this menace through cooperation between two forces against a common enemy,” the statement said.

“Pak Army recovered 5 Western hostages including 1 Canadian, his US National wife and their three children from terrorist custody” in an operation in Kurram tribal district along the Afghan border, the army said in a statement.

It did not name the family, but Canadian Joshua Boyle and his American wife Caitlan Coleman were kidnapped by the Afghan Taliban during a backpacking trip in Afghanistan 2012, and are known to have had at least two children while in captivity.