Italy says 3 medical workers detained in southern Afghanistan on April 10 have been freed

3 Italy aid workers freed in Afghanistan

ROME — Italy’s Foreign Ministry says three Italian medical workers detained in southern Afghanistan last week have been released.

The three employees of Italian non-governmental organization Emergency hadn’t been heard from since being taken into custody April 10 in Helmand after explosives and handguns were found in a raid by Afghan police and British troops on an Emergency hospital.

Officials in Helmand have alleged to the media the three were bribed by insurgents to smuggle weapons into the hospital in preparation for an assassination attempt on the provincial governor.

Emergency strongly denied the accusation.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said the release came about “without putting into question” Italy’s Afghan and NATO relations.