The United Nations in Afghanistan on Thursday confirmed the release of one of its employees and the woman’s child who had been held hostage since January.

In a statement issued by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) the mission welcomed the release in Kabul of their colleague and her child but expressed outrage at their abduction and the earlier murder of another colleague who was also seized during the same incident.

The release of the woman and her young son is of enormous relief to their loved ones, colleagues and to the entire UN family in Afghanistan, their statement read.

“We condemn the shameful abduction and what appears to be the deliberate murder of one of our colleagues,” said Ingrid Hayden, the Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Acting Head of UNAMA.

“Our thoughts are with the families most affected by this terrible crime and we urge authorities to do everything within their powers to bring the perpetrators to account.”

The two abducted UN personnel, both Afghan citizens, worked in Kabul with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). They went missing on 22 January 2018 when their vehicle was stopped by unknown assailants.

At the time of the incident, reports indicated the vehicle was stopped while the woman was on her way to drop her child off at school before work.

The driver’s body was recovered in Kabul on 16 March.

“Throughout an extremely difficult period, the UN has worked with the relevant authorities to secure the release of all those abducted, and the UN expresses its appreciation to Afghan law enforcement agencies and all others who assisted in the release,” the statement read.