'Taliban killed our baby, raped my wife'

Canadian held hostage with family in Afghanistan condemns the 'stupidity' of his kidnappers, hopes to 'build a sanctuary' for his family after five-year ordeal

Freed Canadian hostage Joshua Boyle accused his kidnappers of murdering his infant daughter and raping his wife during his family's years-long captivity by the Haqqani network, a Taliban-affiliated group operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Boyle levelled the accusations in a terse statement he read on his arrival in Toronto on Friday with his American wife, Caitlan Coleman, and three children, who were freed on Wednesday by Pakistani troops, based on a tip from US intelligence.

Joshua Boyle and his family (below) was rescued by Pakistani troops near Afghan border. Pics/AFP and AP

He condemned the Haqqani network's "stupidity and evil of authorising the murder of my infant daughter" in "retaliation for my repeated refusal to accept an offer that the miscreant of the Haqqani network had made to me, and the stupidity and evil of the subsequent rape of my wife".

He said the rape was not the action of a lone guard, but was aided by the captain of the guard and a Haqqani commander he identified as Abu Hajr. Boyle said the death of his daughter and his wife's rape occurred in 2014. That was two years after he and Coleman, then "heavily pregnant," were kidnapped in a remote Taliban-controlled area of Afghanistan. He said they were in Afghanistan as "pilgrims" helping poor villagers when they were captured. "Obviously it will be of incredible importance to my family to build a secure sanctuary to call a home," he said.

The Canadian government welcomed the family's arrival. "Today, we join the Boyle family in rejoicing over the long-awaited return to Canada of their loved ones," the foreign ministry said. Agencies