Indian woman kidnapped in Kabul rescued: Sushma Swaraj

New Delhi: An Indian woman working for an international NGO, who was kidnapped in Kabul last month by suspected militants, has been rescued, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Saturday. 40-year-old Judith D'Souza, who works for Aga Khan Foundation as a senior technical adviser, was kidnapped outside her office in the heart of Kabul on June 9. "I am happy to inform you that Judith D'Souza has been rescued," Swaraj tweeted.

Judith D'Souza is with us - safe and in good spirits. She will reach her Motherland at the earliest. Vande Mataram. https://t.co/VAfBWpBAeN

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 23, 2016

She also thanked Afghan authorities for their "help and support" in securing Judith's release. The External Affairs Ministry was in constant touch with Afghan authorities to ensure a safe release for Judith, a resident of Kolkata. Swaraj also lauded the efforts made by India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Manpreet Vohra in securing Judith's release. Judith's family had last month written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging his intervention in ensuring that she is reunited with them. Modi had requested Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to expedite efforts to secure Judith's release.