The ruling Taliban today released French journalist Mr Michel Peyrard who slipped into Afghanistan disguised as a Muslim woman to report on the US bombing, the Afghan Islamic Press agency said.
The Pakistani-based news agency said Mr Peyrard from Paris Matchmagazine was freed in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad.
He was expected to cross into Pakistan through the Khyber Pass later on today.
"An investigation has revealed that the arrested Frenchman was not a spy but a journalist. On this basis the Afghan government has decided to release him", AIP quoted the Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef as saying.
Mr Peyrard, 44, entered Afghanistan illegally on October 9th disguised under a head-to-toe Muslim burqa.
Paris Match magazine said earlier this week they believed he would be freed in a matter of days after they understood the Taliban dropped their suspicions against him and two accompanying Pakistani reporters.
The Taliban last month released a British journalist who slipped into Afghanistan without permission to report on the US-led attacks.
The Taliban have issued few visas to foreign journalists and have organised only two brief trips for foreign reporters into the war-battered country.
AFP