Two Italian hostages kidnapped in Afghanistan were freed Monday in a NATO commando raid and in which the hostages were injured, one seriously, according to the Italian defense ministry.

The Italians, described as military personnel, were taken to a NATO field hospital for treatment and their families have been informed of their condition, the ministry said.

The commando attack was said to have been a joint British-Italian special forces operation in which five or six of the kidnappers were killed while the NATO forces suffered no casualties.

The Italians disappeared on Saturday night in Afghanistan's western province of Herat together with their driver and interpreter, who later returned on their own.

Italy has 2,000 troops in Afghanistan serving under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) with a peacekeeping mandate. Its contingent is split between the capital Kabul, which is in the east, and Herat in the west.

Italy is currently responsible for ISAF's Regional Command West.

Italian Premier Romano Prodi and Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema monitored the events in Afghanistan from New York, where they are attending the opening of the United Nations General Assembly.

Both Prodi and D'Alema said that the kidnapping would in no way affect Italy's role in the NATO mission.

(Xinhua News Agency September 25, 2007)