By Ian Garland: 08:24 GMT, 2 June 2012
A British aid worker kidnapped in north east Afghanistan last month has been freed after a dramatic
SAS rescue mission authorised by Prime Minister David Cameron.
Helen Johnston, 27, Kenyan national Moragwe Oirere and two Afghan civilians were rescued during an
early morning raid by members of the elite special forces unit.
All four hostages work for Medair, a humanitarian non-governmental organisation based near Lausanne,
Switzerland and were kidnapped on May 22 in Badakhshan province.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00001-32.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00001-32.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The dramatic raid took place at 1am in Shahr-e-Bozorgd district, in a large forested area near the
Tajikistan border called Koh-e-Laran.
According to the Daily Telegraph, SAS soldiers, working with the ISAF's Joint Special Forces Group, were
transported by helicopter to the cave where the hostages were being held.
They then stormed the cave and freed the hostages.
Mr Cameron confirmed all four hostages were rescued safely, no British troops were injured and five
Taliban and hostage-takers were killed.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00002-27.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00002-27.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The aid workers were abducted by a group of armed men during a visit to relief project sites in
Badakhshan. Since the kidnapping, the charity kept a lid on publicity which it felt could jeopardise
efforts to secure a release.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00003-22.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00003-22.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Speaking after learning of her rescue, Miss Johnson's parents Philip and Patricia said: 'We are delighted
and hugely relieved by the wonderful news that Helen and all her colleagues have been freed.
'We are deeply grateful to everyone involved in her rescue, to those who worked tirelessly on her behalf,
and to family and friends for their love, prayers and support over the last twelve days.
A British aid worker kidnapped in north east Afghanistan last month has been freed after a dramatic
SAS rescue mission authorised by Prime Minister David Cameron.
Helen Johnston, 27, Kenyan national Moragwe Oirere and two Afghan civilians were rescued during an
early morning raid by members of the elite special forces unit.
All four hostages work for Medair, a humanitarian non-governmental organisation based near Lausanne,
Switzerland and were kidnapped on May 22 in Badakhshan province.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00001-32.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00001-32.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The dramatic raid took place at 1am in Shahr-e-Bozorgd district, in a large forested area near the
Tajikistan border called Koh-e-Laran.
According to the Daily Telegraph, SAS soldiers, working with the ISAF's Joint Special Forces Group, were
transported by helicopter to the cave where the hostages were being held.
They then stormed the cave and freed the hostages.
Mr Cameron confirmed all four hostages were rescued safely, no British troops were injured and five
Taliban and hostage-takers were killed.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00002-27.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00002-27.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
The aid workers were abducted by a group of armed men during a visit to relief project sites in
Badakhshan. Since the kidnapping, the charity kept a lid on publicity which it felt could jeopardise
efforts to secure a release.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=frm00003-22.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/frm00003-22.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Speaking after learning of her rescue, Miss Johnson's parents Philip and Patricia said: 'We are delighted
and hugely relieved by the wonderful news that Helen and all her colleagues have been freed.
'We are deeply grateful to everyone involved in her rescue, to those who worked tirelessly on her behalf,
and to family and friends for their love, prayers and support over the last twelve days.
