U.S. doctor rescued from Taliban

Dr. Dilip Joseph was abducted Wednesday en route to a small clinic, officials say There are conflicting reports about who was behind the abduction ISAF says Joseph was kidnapped by the Taliban Two local Afghan officials say smugglers were responsible for the abductions Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- An American doctor abducted while on his way to a small health clinic outside the Afghan capital city of Kabul was rescued by coalition forces, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force said Sunday. There were conflicting reports about who was behind the kidnapping of Dr. Dilip Joseph. ISAF said it was Taliban insurgents, while two local Afghan officials told CNN it was smugglers. Joseph and an Afghan doctor were kidnapped on Wednesday as they made their way to a small health clinic in the village of Jegdalek in the Sarobi district, just outside Kabul, tribal leader Malik Samad and district chief Muhammad Haqbeen told CNN. A driver and an engineer who were working with the doctors have been arrested on suspicion of having contact with the smugglers, the two men said. The family of the Afghan doctor paid $12,000 to the smugglers who later released him, Haqbeen and Samad said. Joseph was freed Saturday during an operation in Laghman province, the two men said. ISAF did not provide details about the rescue operation other than to say Joseph was believed to be in imminent danger of injury or death. Gen. John Allen, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, ordered the mission. "Today's mission exemplifies our unwavering commitment to defeating the Taliban," Allen said in a statement. "I'm proud of the American and Afghan forces that planned, rehearsed and successfully conducted this operation. Thanks to them, Dr. Joseph will soon be rejoining his family and loved ones." Further information on Joseph, including his hometown, was not immediately available.