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France hails release of hostages

PARIS: French President Jacques Chirac on Friday welcomed the release of all the passengers on a hijacked Indian Airlines plane in southern Afghanistan.

"I have just heard with great relief of the happy ending of the hijacking in Kandahar," Chirac said in a letter to Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee

Chirac praised India's diplomatic efforts to end the crisis and sent his condolences to the family of the hostage that was killed during the ordeal.

No official count of the number of passengers was immediately available. It was thought to be 155 or 156, depending on the number of hijackers.

The hijackers seized the plane on a short flight from Nepal to India a week ago and were freed under a deal which secured the hostages' liberty in exchange for that of three mujahideens held in Indian jails.

Three French nationals were among the hostages.-Reuters