Finnish woman abducted in Afghanistan has been freed

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – Finland's Foreign Ministry says a Finnish national kidnapped in Afghanistan has been released and is safe.

The ministry says the family asks for privacy, and that more information will be available later Thursday.

The Swedish humanitarian organization Operation Mercy confirmed Thursday "with great joy" that their Finnish colleague, who was abducted on May 20, had been released. She was not identified.

Finnish broadcaster YLE said a German national, who also worked for Operation Mercy, was killed in the kidnapping, along with an Afghan guard.

The group says it works in central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, helping "the poor and marginalized through community development and humanitarian aid projects."