Taliban hostages Timothy Weeks and Kevin King released in prisoner swap three years after abduction in Afghanistan.
An Australian teacher who spent more than three years being held hostage by the Taliban has arrived home.
Key points:
-
Timothy Weeks was freed earlier this month along with his American colleague as part of a prisoner swap
-
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said Mr Weeks and his family were relieved he was home
-
The Wagga Wagga teacher was working at a university in Kabul when he was kidnapped at gunpoint in 2016
Timothy Weeks and his American colleague, Kevin King, were released earlier this month as part of a prisoner swap deal.
​
Foreign Minister Marise Payne told AM Mr Weeks flew into Sydney on Thursday night.
"I am very pleased to confirm that Tim has returned to Australia and very much welcome his return," she said.
​
"It has been an extraordinarily long three years for him and for his family."
Mr Weeks and Mr King were abducted in 2016 outside the American University in Kabul where they both worked as teachers.
​
The following year, the Taliban released two videos showing the captives.
In one of the videos, Mr King and Mr Weeks said a deadline for their release was set for June 16 that year and the Australian pleaded with then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull to negotiate his release.
​
Senator Payne said she had been closely involved in Mr Weeks's case since serving in her previous role as defence minister, and spoke to the Australian earlier this week.
​
​