OTTAWA — The two Canadian women who were rescued this morning after being abducted in Ghana last week have been identified.

Youth Challenge International, a Toronto-based non-profit group, says Lauren Tilly and Bailey Chitty were rescued by Ghanaian police.

In a statement posted online, the group says both are safe and unhurt, and they are “receiving emotional and psychological support from professionals as they travel home.”

Global Affairs Canada says the federal government is “very relieved” that the two women have been rescued from what a department spokesman called their “harrowing experiences.”

Ghana’s information ministry says national security operatives completed the rescue mission in the country’s south-central Ashanti region.

The country’s national police force said last Thursday that the two Canadian women were aged 19 and 20.

— With files from The Associated Press </s> Two Canadian women who were abducted earlier this month in Ghana have been rescued, and their names have been released.

Ghana's Information Ministry said the rescue operation was completed early Wednesday in the south-central Ashanti region. No other details were immediately available from the ministry.

But the Canadian government said in an email to CBC on Wednesday that it's "very relieved to confirm" the release of the women, whose names were disclosed by non-governmental organization Youth Challenge International as Lauren Tilley and Bailey Chitty.

On its website, the organization said both women were getting support from professionals and that they were physically unhurt.

"The parents of both young women have been in contact with their daughters and at this time wish to express their extreme gratitude to the Ghanaian police, the Ghanaian government and the Canadian government for all their support and actions throughout this extremely difficult time," the website said.

The two, aged 19 and 20, had been abducted at the Kumasi Royal Golf Club at 8:25 p.m. local time on June 4, said a news release issued by the Ghana Police Service.

Police had not disclosed their names, but said they're volunteers with Youth Challenge International. The two women are studying at Renaissance College with the University of New Brunswick. Tilley is originally from Rothesay, N. B., a suburban community on the outskirts of Saint John. Chitty is from Amherst, N.S., a town that borders the province of New Brunswick.

"Bailey and Lauren are receiving emotional and psychological support from professionals as they travel home," Youth Challenge International said in the news release. "Medical reports are that they are both physically unhurt. At this time, we are unable to comment on the police actions, the rescue or the perpetrators of the abduction."

Global Affairs Canada also said consular officials are providing assistance to the two women and their families.

"Due to the provisions of the Privacy Act, and out of respect to these two Canadians who have been through harrowing experiences, no further information will be disclosed," Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Guillaume Bérubé said in the email.

Francisca Forson, a freelance journalist in Accra, told CBC News Network that two people have been arrested, and the Information Ministry will hold a news conference at 3 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET) to provide more details about the rescue operation.

The ministry has sought to assure travellers that the West African nation remains safe despite a recent uptick in kidnappings for ransom. The country has been considered one of the safest in the region for foreign travellers.

This was the second time in about a month that foreigners were targeted in the city of Kumasi. An Indian national earlier was abducted and rescued.

Ghana's president has vowed to crack down on kidnappers amid fears the abductions could harm tourism.

Forson said the Ghana Tourism Authority that regulates the industry has shut down the hostel where the two Canadians were lodging after doing inspections.

"They were operating without a licence, and they shut that down, and they also issued a warning that they would be tougher with other hostels or hotels where foreigners are lodged," she said.

"So there's efforts on the part of the authorities to ensure that foreigners do not feel unsafe and are able to come here." </s> MAHMUD MOHAMMED-NURUDEEN via Getty Images A police bus is seen here outside of regional police headquarters in Kumasi, Ghana, on June 7, 2019. Two Canadian women have been rescued after they went missing in the country earlier this month.

OTTAWA — Global Affairs Canada says the federal government is “very relieved” that two Canadian women who were abducted in Ghana earlier this month have been rescued.

A spokesman for the department says consular officials are providing assistance to the two women and their families after what he called their “harrowing experiences.”

Guillaume Berube says no further details will be released. </s> OTTAWA—The two Canadian women who were rescued this morning after being abducted in Ghana last week have been identified. Youth Challenge International, a Toronto-based non-profit group, says Lauren Tilly and Bailey Chitty were rescued by Ghanaian police.

In a statement posted online, the group says both are safe and unhurt, and they are “receiving emotional and psychological support from professionals as they travel home.”

Ghana’s national police force said last Thursday that the two Canadian women were aged 19 and 20. Global Affairs Canada says the federal government is “very relieved” that the two women have been rescued from what a department spokesman called their “harrowing experiences.”

Ghana’s information ministry says national security operatives completed the rescue mission in the country’s south-central Ashanti region. The ministry has sought to assure travellers that the West African nation remains safe despite a recent uptick in kidnappings for ransom. The country has been considered one of the safest in the region for foreign travellers. This was the second time in less than a month that foreigners were targeted in the city of Kumasi. An Indian national earlier was abducted and rescued. Ghana's president has vowed to crack down on kidnappers amid fears the abductions could harm tourism. — With files from The Associated Press </s> Two young Canadian women who were kidnapped while volunteering in Ghana have begun their journey home after being rescued by authorities in the West African country on Wednesday.

Bailey Chitty and Lauren Tilley are safe and physically unharmed, said Youth Challenge International, the Toronto-based non-profit the women were volunteering with.

“Bailey and Lauren are receiving emotional and psychological support from professionals as they travel home,” the group said in a statement.

“The parents of both young women have been in contact with their daughters and at this time wish to express their extreme gratitude to the Ghanaian police, the Ghanaian government and the Canadian government.”

Ghana's information minister said national security forces led an operation to rescue the two women - aged 19 and 20 - from a location in the suburbs of Kumasi, Ghana's second-largest city.

Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah said five Ghanaians and three Nigerians are now in custody in connection with what he called a “traumatic incident,” and more arrests are possible.

No ransom was discussed or paid in the case, and there's no indication yet of any affiliation between the kidnappers and any religious or political group, the minister said.

“We have no brief that says that this person, that person is associated with this church or that religion or this political party,” he said, adding that the investigation is ongoing. “It's the interrogation that will determine who the masterminds are.”

Oppong-Nkrumah said a Canadian “team” had been in Ghana to offer help in the rescue, but it was not necessary because Ghanaian forces had the situation under control.

“Our people on the ground had clarity on what to do, and the result is what you see currently,” he said.

A spokesman for Global Affairs Canada said the federal government is “very relieved” that the women are safe.

“We would like to thank the Government of Ghana for their co-operation in the resolution of this case,” Guillaume Berube said in an email, adding that consular officials were assisting the women and their families.

“Out of respect to these two Canadians who have been through harrowing experiences, no further information will be disclosed,” he said.

Ghana has long been considered one of the least dangerous countries in West Africa, but the abductions of the two Canadians marked the second time in a month that foreigners had been targeted in Kumasi. A previous rescue effort freed an Indian national.

The information minister maintained that Ghana remained safe for foreign travellers.

“The country's risk profile has not changed,” he said.

- with files from the Associated Press. </s> ACCRA — Ghana forces have rescued two Canadian women who were kidnapped last week outside their hostel in Ghana’s second city of Kumasi, the Ghanaian government said in a statement on Wednesday.

The women, aged 19 and 20, were volunteers for charity Youth Challenge International.

Kidnappings were rare in Ghana until a spate of abductions late last year, most of them for ransom. They are more common in other parts of West Africa, especially Nigeria.

An Indian national was kidnapped and rescued in Kumasi last month, local media reported. </s> OTTAWA — Global Affairs Canada says the federal government is “very relieved” that two Canadian women who were abducted in Ghana earlier this month have been rescued.

A spokesman for the department says consular officials are providing assistance to the two women and their families after what he called their “harrowing experiences.”

Guillaume Berube says no further details will be released.

Ghana’s information ministry says national security operatives completed the rescue mission in the country’s south-central Ashanti region early Wednesday.

The ministry has sought to assure travellers that the West African nation remains safe despite a recent uptick in kidnappings for ransom. The country has been considered one of the safest in the region for foreign travellers.

The country’s national police force said last Thursday that the two Canadian women, aged 19 and 20, were volunteers with a non-governmental organization. </s> ACCRA/TORONTO (Reuters) - Ghana forces have rescued two Canadian women who were kidnapped last week outside their hostel in Ghana’s second city of Kumasi, the Ghanaian government said in a statement on Wednesday.

The women, aged 19 and 20, were volunteers for Canadian charity Youth Challenge International (YCI).

YCI in a statement named the two volunteers as Lauren Tilley and Bailey Chitty. It said the two were receiving emotional and psychological support and were physically unharmed.

Global Affairs Canada spokesman Guillaume Berube said the government was very relieved that the two Canadians were released and thanked the government of Ghana for its cooperation. Berube said consular officials were providing support for Tilley and Chitty and for their families.

Officials at Ghana’s Information Ministry said five Ghanaians and three Nigerians were taken into custody, that no ransom was paid for the release, and that there was no foreign involvement in the rescue operation, CBC reported.

Kidnappings were rare in Ghana until a spate of abductions late last year, most of them for ransom. They are more common in other parts of West Africa, especially Nigeria.

An Indian national was kidnapped and rescued in Kumasi last month, local media reported. </s> 2 Canadian women abducted in Ghana have been rescued

ACCRA, Ghana (AP) — Authorities say two Canadian women who were abducted earlier this month in Ghana have been rescued.

Ghana's information ministry says the rescue operation was completed early Wednesday in the south-central Ashanti region. No other details are immediately available.

The ministry has sought to assure travelers that the West African nation remains safe despite a recent uptick in kidnappings for ransom. The country has been considered one of the safest in the region for foreign travelers.

This was the second time in less than a month that foreigners were targeted in the city of Kumasi. An Indian national earlier was abducted and rescued.

Ghana's president has vowed to crack down on kidnappers amid fears the abductions could harm tourism.
Two Canadian women who were abducted in Ghana are rescued by Ghanaian police.