The German man who was being held by kidnappers in Afghanistan  has been freed, a spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry in Kabul said Thursday. The man's interpreter was also freed, the spokesman said. The exact circumstances of the release, however, were not clear.

The man, who according to information obtained by SPIEGEL was a German businessman, was believed to have been kidnapped by a criminal gang. The Taliban have denied any involvement in the case. The man's identity has not yet been revealed.

The kidnappers were reported by the Afghan authorities to be demanding a ransom of $40,000 (€29,300). It was speculated that the ransom had been paid. The sum is tiny compared to the seven-figure ransoms which the German government is believed to have paid in the past, for example to secure the release of hostages held in Iraq.