An American woman, her Canadian husband and their three children have been freed from captivity by Pakistani security forces, nearly five years after being taken hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The initial word came from a Pakistani Army statement and was confirmed by US officials.

The couple, American Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her American husband, Joshua Boyle, 33, were kidnapped by the Taliban in 2012 while they were traveling as tourists in Afghanistan and were held in captivity since.