A French journalist working for Paris-Match was arrested by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the French weekly magazine confirmed Tuesday.
Michel Peyrard, 44, reportedly arrested by Taliban on Tuesday morning, has worked for Paris-Match for 18 years. He had a telephone conversation with his editors and transmitted pictures back to Paris on Monday night, announced the magazine.
The Pakistan-based pro-Taliban Afghan Islamic Press Agency (AIP) reported Tuesday that a French journalist, disguised as woman and accompanied by two Pakistani guides, was arrested in the village of Goshta, 35 kilometers east of Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan bordering Pakistan.
The French Foreign Ministry, commenting on the event, said that the arrest does not involve the French military.
"I have no particular information. We will get the information. .. To my knowledge, it does not involve a military or personnel of intelligence," said Francois Rivasseau, spokesman of the French Foreign Ministry.
A British journalist, Yvonne Ridley, was arrested on September 28 by the Taliban after entering illegally into Afghanistan from Pakistani borders. She was freed Monday.
( Xinhua News Agency 10/10/2001)
