Canadian hostage, wife & children freed from Afghanistan, Oct 2017 #1

[kmclaren]

Apparently there is a new video from Joshua and Caitlan. The article also says that they now have 2 sons...

http://globalnews.ca/news/2912243/j...an-pleads-for-help-in-new-video/?sf34719369=1

 

[kmclaren]

New video from the couple, this time showing their 2 sons



https://www.thestar.com/news/world/...dren-seen-in-just-released-taliban-video.html

 

[Snoopster]

New video from the couple, this time showing their 2 sons

View attachment 106344

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/...dren-seen-in-just-released-taliban-video.html

Oh, how sad....seeing those two young kids! At least they look relatively healthy.

They mention their two "surviving" children in the video. I wonder what happened to the non-surviving child(ren).

 

[Janessa]

Any suggestions from the community on what could be done to help them return home to safety with their families?

 

[mikkismom]

According to NYT, the have been released. I don't know how to link.

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[Lilibet]

According to NYT, the have been released. I don't know how to link.

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Great news!

Here are some links...

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/12/...d-family-held-for-5-years-in-afghanistan.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...amily-freed-terrorists-afghanistan/756967001/

http://www.wmur.com/article/hostages-freed-taliban-afghanistan/12835793

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/1...an-family-freed-from-afghanistan-captors.html

 

[kmclaren]

Great news!

Here are some links...

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/12/...d-family-held-for-5-years-in-afghanistan.html

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...amily-freed-terrorists-afghanistan/756967001/

http://www.wmur.com/article/hostages-freed-taliban-afghanistan/12835793

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/1...an-family-freed-from-afghanistan-captors.html

Wow, that is such great news and 3 children now!!

 

[Snoopster]

I'm thrilled that this couple and their children have been released.

I will just add that I am a tad skeptical about their original motives for being in Afghanistan. With Boyle having originally married Omar Khadr's sister, it gives me pause.

(BTW, I am actually an Omar K supporter due to his young age and his behaviour since his release. But his sister is a whole 'nother matter. She strikes me as a die-hard terrorist.)

 

[dotr]

http://www.cp24.com/world/joshua-boyle-says-his-child-was-murdered-wife-raped-while-in-captivity-1.3630696

Joshua Boyle says his child was murdered, wife raped while in captivity

TORONTO -- Former hostage Joshua Boyle said upon arriving back in Canada that the Haqqani network in Afghanistan had killed his infant daughter and raped his wife during the years they were held in captivity.

Boyle gave the statement shortly after landing in Canada late Friday with his American wife, Caitlan Coleman, and three young children.

The couple was rescued Wednesday, five years after they had been abducted by the Taliban-linked extremist network while in Afghanistan as part of a backpacking trip. Coleman was pregnant at the time and had four children in captivity. The birth of the fourth child had not been publicly known before Boyle appeared before journalists at the Toronto airport

Afghanistan was eclipsed only by the stupidity and evil of authorizing the murder of my infant daughter," he said. Boyle said his wife was raped by a guard who was assisted by his superiors. He asked for the Afghan government to bring them to justice

 

[dotr]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/boyle-coleman-former-captives-return-to-canada-1.4355358

Freed hostage Joshua Boyle says children adapting to '1st true home'


Canadian kidnapped with his wife, Caitlan Coleman, says his kids have no experience of life out of captivity

Freed Canadian hostage Joshua Boyle says his three children are quickly adapting as the family spends their first full day in Canada, after five excruciating years being held captive in Afghanistan.

"We have reached the first true home that the children have ever known after they spent most of Friday asking if each subsequent airport was our new house hopefully," Boyle told CBC, after a day of travel that included flights to London and then Toronto.

"We know nothing is instant — but after five years, it's so difficult to accept that everything isn't magically perfect just because you're no longer being brutalized," he said.

In response to emailed questions, Boyle told CBC's Susan Ormiston how his three children were reacting to freedom.

He said the eldest child, Najaeshi Jonah, 4, is "exuberant; honestly freedom seems to have cured half his ills instantly, he's running around examining all the gifts compiled over the years.

"Najaeshi Jonah is examining Post-it notes and curtains and paints and board games, remote controls, everything in the house is a wonderland to him," wrote Boyle. "That said, he's terrified to leave the house, even just to go on the porch...it's as though he thinks if he ever exits this magical wonderland it will all end...."

'Everything reminds him of the horrors of prison'

Boyle said Saturday that his middle child, Dhakwoen Noah, 2, is more fearful, "nearly as distressed as he was in prison, it seems everything reminds him of the horrors of prison; cameras are equated to hostage videos, pens are equated to syringes used to drug his parents with ketamine by the guards, slamming doors is associated with cell searches or worse, it seems his healing process has barely begun — so we pray that God will hasten it."

Ma'idah Grace, who is about five months old — had health problems. An earlier report said she needed to be force-fed by their rescuers. "Ma'idah Grace seems scared most of the time, but also to have discovered there are more decent people in the world than she knew;

 

[Inthedetails]

Is there another thread about this hostage-release story on WS that I'm missing? Or is this it?

 

[Lilibet]

Is there another thread about this hostage-release story on WS that I'm missing? Or is this it?

I think this is the only thread, although the title should be changed and I think the location of the thread moved too. I will alert a mod.

 

[dotr]

http://www.cp24.com/news/taliban-de...ge-s-accusations-of-rape-and-murder-1.3633022
Oct 15 2017

[h=1]Taliban denies rescued Canadian hostage's accusations of rape and murder[/h]

A spokesman for the Taliban claims a freed Canadian hostage's allegations that his wife was raped and his daughter killed by their abductors are "western propaganda"

However, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has released a statement saying Coleman had a "natural miscarriage" after an illness.

Mujahid says Boyle and his wife Caitlan Coleman are now "in the hands of the enemy", and the statement Boyle gave was "force fed" to him.
Mujahid also says "from the time the couple were detained until their release" Boyle and Coleman were never separated because the kidnappers "did not want to incite any suspicion."

 

[ttcRider]

Can't wait to hear what really happened. :fence:

 

[Lilibet]

I’m very glad they’re free, but...Have we heard from Caitlin yet? When she does speak will she speak her own thoughts or Boyle’s? Four babies in five years would be hard on a woman even with good medical care. I don’t understand taking your wife into any part of Afghanistan pregnant, let alone bringing more babies into a terrible life in captivity and possible torture and death. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around Mr Boyle’s agenda. I just don’t see an idealistic desire to help poor villagers or an innocent interest in beautiful Afghan scenery. Call me judgemental, but what I see is selfishness and possibly a form of spousal control and abuse. I’ll be very happy to be wrong. JMO

 

[dotr]

I’m very glad they’re free, but...Have we heard from Caitlin yet? When she does speak will she speak her own thoughts or Boyle’s? Four babies in five years would be hard on a woman even with good medical care. I don’t understand taking your wife into any part of Afghanistan pregnant, let alone bringing more babies into a terrible life in captivity and possible torture and death. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around Mr Boyle’s agenda. I just don’t see an idealistic desire to help poor villagers or an innocent interest in beautiful Afghan scenery. Call me judgemental, but what I see is selfishness and possibly a form of spousal control and abuse. I’ll be very happy to be wrong. JMO

Must admit to similar sentiment, imo.
Hope C.gets to spend time away for awhile with her family to help gather her own thoughts.

 

[ninij9]

I’m very glad they’re free, but...Have we heard from Caitlin yet? When she does speak will she speak her own thoughts or Boyle’s? Four babies in five years would be hard on a woman even with good medical care. I don’t understand taking your wife into any part of Afghanistan pregnant, let alone bringing more babies into a terrible life in captivity and possible torture and death. I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around Mr Boyle’s agenda. I just don’t see an idealistic desire to help poor villagers or an innocent interest in beautiful Afghan scenery. Call me judgemental, but what I see is selfishness and possibly a form of spousal control and abuse. I’ll be very happy to be wrong. JMO

I think your assessment is pretty accurate imo.

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[cattlekate]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/taliban-denies-boyle-s-rape-and-murder-accusations-1.3633018

Taliban states Caitlyn had a miscarriage due the lack of hospital.

Uhm, there is going to be a lot more to this story.

 

[ttcRider]

ok.. I'm going to just come out and say this. This whole story is making me so angry. He said they went there to help these poor villagers. How did he think he and his pregnant wife were going to help? They went there with backpacks, no resources and no means to provide any aid what so ever. What did he think he could do there for them? Talk to them? Console them? His story is so far fetched. I'm not even going to touch the fact that he was married to Khadr's sister or where they got a pacifier for their kid!!! :tantrum:

 

[Snoopster]

I'm not buying this whole story. There is something weird about the husband. There is something controlling about the husband.

Hey, I'm Canadian and I support the support of refugees, but this case just doesn't feel right. The guy was married to Khadr's sister. I actually support Khadr more than many.....but his sister is a terrorist in my opinion.