Ordeal of UN hostages in Afghanistan

Here are the key dates in the Afghan kidnapping.

OCTOBER 28:

Three foreign UN election workers are abducted in the Afghan capital, Kabul. Irish woman Annetta Flanigan, from Richhill, Co Armagh, is among them.

They are kidnapped from a marked UN car near an office of the joint UN-Afghan electoral body set up to oversee the recent presidential election.

The other two abductees are Filipino diplomat Angelito Nayan and Shqipe Habibi from Kosovo.

Two Nato helicopter gunships circle over Kabul while Nato armed vehicles are stationed on street corners in the city’s upmarket Wazir Akbar Khan neighbourhood, where many aid workers and diplomats live.

Police officers man checkpoints around the city and in neighbouring districts are told to check the identity of any foreigners passing their posts.

OCTOBER 29:

Roadblocks are set up around Kabul as the search for the three hostages goes on and US military chiefs say its soldiers are ready to help.

A man claiming to speak for a Taliban splinter group, Jaish-al Muslimeen, says it was responsible for the kidnappings.

Irish Labour Party president Michael D Higgins calls on the Irish Government to do everything in its power to secure the release of Ms Flanigan.

Church of Ireland Primate Archbishop Robin Eames urges people to pray for the hostages while Ms Flanigan’s MP, Seamus Mallon, calls for her safe release.

Interim leader Hamid Karzai, condemns the abduction as a “criminal act against the Afghan people”.

Interior Ministry spokesman Latfullah Mashal announces that seven suspects have been arrested.

OCTOBER 30:

As questioning of the seven suspects continues, Jaish-al Muslimeen (Army of Muslims), the group holding the three, threatens to execute them if troops are not withdrawn from the country.

Militant spokesman Ishaq Manzoor also demands the release of all Afghan detainees from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, and calls for the search for the hostages to be halted.

In New York, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan says the organisation is hoping for an “immediate and unconditional release”.

Three more suspects are arrested, it is announced later.

OCTOBER 31:

The three hostages plead for their freedom in a video released by their captors. They appear well but nervous, crouched on the floor, in a brief clip shown on Arab TV station Al-Jazeera.

A team of 300 “quick reaction force police” are deployed to the area where the kidnappers are believed to be hiding.

NOVEMBER 1:

Confusion reigns from within the kidnap group over what deadline has been set for their demands to be released.

Leader Akbar Agha says his group is prepared to negotiate with a Afghan trader acting on behalf of the UN.

The group also claims the three hostages have been split up to hamper any rescue attempts.

Ms Flanigan’s family in Northern Ireland are said to be living through a “nightmare”.

Mr Mallon says he plans to raise the kidnapping with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the Commons.

NOVEMBER 3:

Mr Blair says his government is in “close touch” with the UN over the kidnapping, which he describes as “distressing”.

NOVEMBER 4:

The kidnappers claim Ms Flanigan is “seriously ill” because of the strain of her ordeal.

NOVEMBER 5:

The militants say they have delayed a decision over the fate of the hostages as one deadline set for their demands to be met passes.

They say the UN and Afghan government have until tomorrow night to open negotiations.

Archbishop Eames once again calls for the captives’ release.

NOVEMBER 6:

Negotiations to free the trio are postponed but the militants claim both parties are to hold talks tomorrow.

Mr Karzai renews his condemnation of the kidnappings and pledges to “do our best” to resolve the issue.

NOVEMBER 7:

The militants claim they have handed a list of Taliban prisoners they want releasing to the Afghan authorities during secret talks.

NOVEMBER 9:

There is no news as a deadline set by the kidnappers for a UN pull-out from Afghanistan and the release of 26 Taliban prisoners passes.

NOVEMBER 15:

A fresh deadline passes and the militants, who had repeated their threats to kill the hostages, say they will make no further attempts to broker a deal.

NOVEMBER 16:

The family of Ms Flanigan, including her mother Esther, speak for the first time and plead for the release of the three in a statement issued to the kidnappers.

It comes amid claims that the talks aimed at brokering a deal foundered on a ransom demand.

NOVEMBER 23:

It is announced the three were freed overnight after nearly four weeks in captivity.

Ms Flanigan’s family express their “sincere gratitude” to all those who helped secure their release.

UN officials say Ms Flanigan is in good health after undergoing medical examinations.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says he is “delighted” and “relieved” at the news.