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Joint forces free over 40 Afghan soldiers from Taliban custody

Xinhua, December 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

About 40 Afghan soldiers were released from a Taliban prison in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand after a joint Afghan and U.S. Special Forces operation on Thursday night, the coalition said on Friday.

"The Afghan Special Security Forces' ground element and the Special Mission Wing conducted a helicopter assault mission in Nawzad district, Helmand Province. After securing the prison, Afghan forces freed more than 40 prisoners comprised of Afghan Police, Afghan National Army and Afghan Border Police members," the U.S. Forces-Afghanistan said in a statement.

The freed soldiers were released to the Afghan Ministry of Defense authorities to receive medical care, the statement noted.

"The information on their initial capture is not known," the statement added.

Helmand province, notorious for poppy growing, is also a known Taliban stronghold. Enditem