OTTAWA — David Lavery, a former Canadian Armed Forces soldier who was detained in Afghanistan, has been released and is now “safe” in Qatar, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said on Sunday.
In a social media post, Joly shared that she had spoken with Lavery following his arrival in Doha. “He is in good spirits,” Joly said, expressing gratitude to Qatar’s foreign affairs minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, for helping facilitate Lavery’s release.
Lavery was reportedly detained in Kabul on November 11, 2024—Remembrance Day, Canadian media reports say. CBS news reported that the Canadian government sought Qatar’s assistance to secure his release.
Qatari mediators coordinated with Canadian officials and utilized contacts in Afghanistan to assess Lavery’s condition, dispatching a medical team to provide care. The mediators also facilitated communication between Lavery and his family during his detention. Upon his arrival in Qatar, Lavery underwent a medical evaluation and has since reunited with his family.
In November, the Veterans Transition Network, a group supporting Canadian veterans, expressed deep concern for Lavery’s safety. Known to colleagues and Afghan allies as “Canadian Dave,” Lavery had dedicated himself to humanitarian efforts, including aiding Afghan migrants and laying wreaths at the Canadian monument in Kabul on Remembrance Day.
On Sunday, the network released a statement celebrating Lavery’s release.
The network revealed that it and Lavery’s family had intentionally kept details of his detention private to avoid endangering him or compromising negotiations.
Global Affairs Canada has yet to provide additional information about Lavery’s release or the circumstances of his detention.
