Taliban extends deadline for 23 South Korean hostages in Afghanistan

WATCH VIDEO

Source: CCTV.com | 07-23-2007 09:05

A man holds the South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo which displays on their front page an image of a group of South Korean Christians posing for a commemorative photograph before leaving for Afghanistan on 13 July.(AFP/Kim Jae-Hwan)

Kidnappers in Afghanistan have extended their deadline by which they threaten to kill 23 South Koreans currently being held hostage. A purported Taliban spokesman has given the Afghan and South Korean governments until 7pm local time on Monday to agree the release of 23 Taliban prisoners. Family members of the hostages are anxiously waiting for any news of their loved ones.

A purported Taliban spokesman says the hard-line militia have extended their deadline by 24 hours, for the Afghan government to trade captured militants for 23 South Korean hostages.

A police chief in Ghazni province said Afghan officials and elders have met with the kidnappers. They said the delegation made progress and reported that the hostages are in good health. Afghan security forces and coalition troops are waiting orders to storm suspected locations.

The Taliban says its fighters are holding the captives at different locations and any attempt to free them by force will put the South Koreans' lives at risk. The Taliban is also demanding the withdrawal of 2-hundred South Korean troops from Afghanistan, while the South Korean government says the soldiers will be pulled out at the end of the year as scheduled.

Meanwhile, a delegation from South Korean has arrived in Afghanistan for talks with Afghan authorities on how to win the freedom of the captives.

Sultan Ahmad Baheen, Afghan FM spokesman, said, "The Afghan government and people want those responsible for kidnapping the Koreans to observe Islamic Law and Afghan customs, not to kidnap or hold anyone. We hope they will release them very soon. They (the Koreans) are doctors and nurses. They are here to help the sick people of Afghanistan."

Meanwhile, relatives of the hostages wept at a church in Seoul as they watched televised scenes hoping for any news of their loved ones. At a news conference the mother of one hostage said she is nervous but can't do a thing.

Editor:Du Xiaodan