Kabul, Feb 22 (Xinhua) Militants in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province captured four journalists of Arab television network Al-Jazeera and set them free after a day in captivity Wednesday, a member of the team said Thursday.

"We were on a road in Gereshk district when some masked and armed men took us to a village where hundreds of armed militants were present," Ahmad Bukhari of Al-Jazeera told Xinhua.

The militants, he added, took their cameras and other equipment, which they later returned.

"During the 26-hour in captivity, the militants provided food and treated us well," Bukhari said.

Meanwhile, a man Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit, said that the journalists were set free in line with a decision of the Taliban leadership.

Famous for poppy growing and militancy, Helmand is considered a Taliban militants stronghold in south Afghanistan where the rebels captured Musa Qala district three weeks ago.