german hostage freed

Afghan police freed a female German hostage from a neighborhood in the capital Kabul and arrested a group of kidnappers early Monday, an Interior Ministry spokesman said.

The 31-year old German captive was abducted from a restaurant on Saturday and the operation to free her took place near the area of western Kabul where she went missing.

Earlier in the day, the captive, who identified herself as Christina Meier, appeared on a video pleading for help. The video was broadcast by a local television station.