Journalists Escape in Afghanistan

The two were held captive for seven months

Two journalists held over seven months by the Taliban in Pakistan successfully escaped from jail. Afghan journalist Tahir Ludin was held captive along with New York Times Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist David Rhode.

Ludin and Rhode escaped by tricking guards and dropping down a 20-foot wall with a rope. Ludin says the last two to three months seemed so hopeless, he considered committing suicide with a knife.

The journalists were abducted November 10th south of the Afghan capital of Kabul.

Ludin climbed a five-foot high wall before spraining his right foot when he went down the 20-foot drop that followed.

Ludin says they wanted to make their escape when the city had electrical power because a noisy air conditioner would block out some sound.

Fifteen minutes after their initial escape, the two arrived at a Pakistani militia post, where guards threatened to kill them thinking they were suicide bombers.

Eventually, the journalists were transferred to Islambad, Pakistan's capital, and then to an American military base outside Kabul.