French hostage in Kabul released

Foreign workers have fallen victim to a spate of kidnappings in Kabul

A French aid worker who was kidnapped in Kabul has been released, according to France's President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Dany Egreteau, 32, was seized in the Afghan capital by gunmen on 3 November. An Afghan driver was killed as he tried to stop the abduction.

The French foreign ministry said it had been working with Afghan officials to secure Mr Egreteau's freedom.

Mr Egreteau, an education specialist, had arrived in Afghanistan just one week prior to his kidnap.

His abduction followed a string of attacks on foreigners in Afghanistan.

FOREIGN WORKERS IN PERIL 25 October 2008: A Briton and South African working for courier DHL shot dead in Kabul 20 October 2008: British aid worker Gayle Williams killed by two gunmen in Kabul 27 August 2008: Body of a Japanese aid worker recovered in the eastern province of Nangahar 13 August 2008: Three female staff of International Rescue Committee shot dead with driver near Kabul

In October, a Briton and South African working for the DHL international courier company were shot dead in Kabul.

Days later British aid worker Gayle Williams was killed by two gunmen in the capital.

The Taleban and criminal gangs have kidnapped or killed dozens of foreigners and hundreds of Afghans over the last five years, but up until recently kidnappings in Kabul have been rare.

Most of those abducted were released unharmed after a ransom was paid, but an increasing number have been killed.