Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has thanked HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani  for  the efforts made by Qatar for the release of a Canadian citizen who was taken hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan for more than five years.
The Emir received a telephone call from Prime Minister Trudeau yesterday during which the latter expressed deep gratitude and thanks to him for the efforts made by Qatar in securing the release of the Canadian citizen. The Emir and the Canadian Prime Minister also discussed means of  strengthening bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues.   
 The Canadian man, Colin Rutherford, was freed from captivity in Afghanistan after being taken hostage by the Taliban five years ago, Canada’s foreign minister said on Monday.
Rutherford, who was 26 years old when he was reported missing in February 2011 while visiting the war-torn nation as a tourist, was released with the help of Qatar, the foreign ministry said.
“Canada is very pleased that efforts undertaken to secure the release of Colin Rutherford from captivity have been successful,” Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion said in a statement.
“We look forward to Mr Rutherford being able to return to Canada and reunite with his family and loved ones,” he added.
The Taliban confirmed his release on “humanitarian grounds” in a brief statement on yesterday, which provided no further details.  
The insurgent group had captured Rutherford in the central province of Ghazni, who accused him of being a spy.
In a video released by the militant group in May 2011, Rutherford said he travelled to Afghanistan to see “historical sites, old buildings, shrines.”
A US special forces officer tasked with trying to negotiate the release of American soldier Bowe Bergdahl told a US Senate hearing in June 2015 that the US State Department had rejected a plan that might have also seen Rutherford and others also freed.
During his efforts, Lieutenant Colonel Jason Amerine said he obtained information about Rutherford as well as US national Warren Weinstein and others in captivity.
According to his testimony, Rutherford may have been moved to Pakistan at some point.