How the Afghan hostages’ ordeal unfolded

Here are the key dates in the Afghan kidnapping.

OCTOBER 28: Three foreign UN election workers are abducted in Kabul. Annetta Flanigan, from Richhill, County Armagh, is among them.

They are kidnapped from a marked UN car near an office of the joint UN-Afghan electoral body.

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

OCTOBER 29: A man claiming to speak for a Taliban splinter group, Jaish-al Muslimeen, says it was responsible.

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

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

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

OCTOBER 30: As questioning of the seven continues, Jaish-al Muslimeen threatens to execute the hostages if troops are not withdrawn from the country. Militant spokesman Ishaq Manzoor also demands the release of all Afghans from the US prison at Guantanamo Bay.

OCTOBER 31: The three hostages plead for their freedom in a video released by their captors.

NOVEMBER 1: Confusion reigns from within the kidnap group over what deadline has been set.

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

NOVEMBER 4: The kidnappers claim Ms Flanigan is “seriously ill.”

NOVEMBER 5: The militants say they have delayed a decision over the fate of the hostages as one deadline passes.

NOVEMBER 6: Negotiations to free the trio are postponed but the militants claim both parties are to hold talks tomorrow.

NOVEMBER 7: The militants claim they have handed a list of prisoners they want released to the Afghan authorities.

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 earlier 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 statements.

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.