German magazine says reporter was not Afghan hostage

BERLIN (Reuters) - German magazine Stern said on Wednesday its reporter Christoph Reuter, who had been missing in Afghanistan, had contacted the weekly and said that at no time had he been taken hostage.

Earlier, the magazine had said it was "very worried" about Reuter following reports a German reporter and his Afghan translator had been kidnapped in Afghanistan's eastern province of Kunar.

Stern said on its website it had now received a text message from Reuter which said: "Was never at the site, was not kidnapped".

Earlier, German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger had mentioned Reuter by name and said he could not confirm the Stern reporter was free. He was reacting to comments from an Afghan provincial governor who said a kidnapped German journalist and his translator had been freed.