We were held in Pakistan for more than a year: Caitlan Coleman

American CaitlanColemanwho along with her family washeld by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network and later rescued by Pakistan troops has told a local Canadian newspaper that she was "held in Pakistan for at least a year".

Caitlan Coleman, her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle and their three children who were born in captivity were freed by the Pakistan Army a fortnight ago following five years as hostages of the Taliban.

Pakistan troops had said they were instrumental in freeing the couple. In a statement, the Pakistan Army had said the couple were rescued after a car chase.

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However, speaking to the Toronto Star, Caitlan Colemansaid: "Right now, everybody’s shunting blame and making claims. Pakistan says no, they were never in Pakistan until the end. The US says, no they were always in Pakistan; it was Pakistan’s responsibility. But neither of those are true."

"We were not crossing into Pakistan that day. We had been in Pakistan for more than a year at that point," Caitlan told the Toronto Star.

In fact, the CIA chief Mike Pompeo speaking at theFoundation for Defence of Democracies had said last week that the couple had been held captive inside Pakistan for five years.

The kidnappers mysteriously disappeared after the car chase with Major General Asif Ghafoor, military spokesman for Pakistan's army claimingthat the vehicle's driver and another militant had escaped to a nearby refugee camp.

"They first took us out of Afghanistan; it was several days’ drive," she told the Tornoto-based newspaper, adding, "It was very bad. My husband and I were separated at that time. He wasn’t allowed to see Najaeshi(her oldest son) or spend any time with us."

"Then we were moved to the north of Miramshah, to the house of a man who said he was called Mahmoud. He was very nice to Najaeshi and would provide us with amenities thatwe wouldn’t have otherwise," she told the Toronto Star.

"He would take Najaeshi out to get him sunlight and nobody else did that at any other point," Caitlan added.

"Our first fear — why we were not poking our heads up and yelling for help — was that it was another gang trying to kidnap us. Possibly just part of the Haqqani network fighting with another part. They’re all just bandits," she said.

"You’re a prisoner for so long, you’re so suspicious. I was still thinking we don’t know these people, we don’t know where they’re taking us," she told the newspaper.