Colin Rutherford: Canadian held in Afghanistan for five years released by Taliban

Canadian Minister Stephane Dion said the Canadian authorities were still working to return Mr Rutherford to Canada

Colin Rutherford was seized in 2010 (YouTube)

Officials in Canada have revealed that a Canadian man held by the Taliban since 2010 has been released.

Canadian Minister Stephane Dion said in a statement that Colin Rutherford was a tourist in Afghanistan when he was seized by the Taliban in November 2010.

The Taliban released a video of Mr Rutherford in 2011 and accused him of being a spy, according to the Associated Press.

The Taliban released a video clip of Colin Rutherford in 2011. (YouTube)

Mr Rutherford had insisted he was not a spy and had travelled to Afghanistan to study historical sites and shrines.

It was not immediately clear how his release came about, but Mr Dion thanked the government of Qatar for its assistance.

“Canada is very pleased that efforts undertaken to secure the release of Colin Rutherford from captivity have been successful,” Mr Dion said.

“We look forward to Mr. Rutherford being able to return to Canada and reunite with his family and loved ones.”


 Canadian Minister Stephane Dion said the Canadian authorities were still working to return Mr Rutherford to Canada
 (AP)

The minister said that the government continued to provide consular support for Mr Rutherford, and will help him return home safely.

Mr Rutherford’s brother, Brian Rutherford, told Global News that the family is “obviously overjoyed at the news, but don’t have much else to add at this point.”

Last year, in testimony before a US Senate hearing, Lt-Col Jason Amerine testified that while trying to secure the release of another hostage in 2013, he received information that indicated Mr Rutherford had been moved to Pakistan.

But infighting and a lack of co-ordination between US government departments allegedly hampered America’s efforts to free Mr Rutherford and other captives.