Taliban Release French Aid Worker

Released French woman identified by her first name, Celine cries as she speaks during a press briefing at the French embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan on Saturday, April 28, 2007. The Taliban released a female French aid worker abducted three weeks ago, but said Saturday a French man and three Afghan colleagues will not be freed until French troops leave Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq) (Musadeq Sadeq - AP)

Without directly addressing the demand, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said Friday that, "France doesn't have the aim of staying in Afghanistan."

France has about 1,000 troops in the country and pulled out 200 French special forces late last year.

French officials said then that the special forces were no longer ideal for the mission, as fighting in Afghanistan has dragged on and the insurgency has strengthened. Such elite units tend to be more lightly armed, and specialize in tasks such as gathering intelligence and launching rapid attacks.

The French elite troops _ deployed in southeastern Afghanistan since July 2003 _ were France's contribution to a U.S. anti-terror mission code-named Operation Enduring Freedom, which is separate from the NATO mission.

Antoine Vuillaume, who heads Terre d'Enfance, or A World for Our Children, told reporters in Paris that he hoped Celine would return to France "as soon as possible, based on her physical and psychological state ... She is very tired, very hard-hit."

The kidnapping came two weeks after Afghan authorities released five Taliban prisoners in exchange for an Italian newspaper reporter, who was abducted along with his two Afghan colleagues in southern Helmand province on March 5. The two Afghans were killed.

The deal was heavily criticized by the United States and some European nations. Afghan lawmakers and foreigners working in the country said it gave the Taliban incentive to stage more kidnappings.

The Afghan government has said the prisoner swap was a one-time deal for the Italian journalist, and has ruled out any future exchanges.