Taliban again extend South Korean hostage deadline

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Source: CCTV.com | 07-24-2007 08:39

A woman holds a placard reading "Safe return" during an anti-war rally near the US embassy in Seoul.(AFP/Jung Yeon-Je)

A Taliban spokesman says the militia has extended its deadline for the lives of 23 South Korean hostages until Tuesday evening. It's the second time the Taliban have extended a deadline aimed at allowing the South Korean government to open direct talks with kidnappers.

In a telephone interview a purported Taliban spokesman confirmed the extension.

Qari Yousef Ahmadi, purported Taliban spokesman, said, "I think the Afghan government is taking full control over the Korean delegation and hasn't let them talk with the Taliban. The Kabul administration is also not trying its hardest with negotiations so we are extending our deadline for another 24 hours so the Koreans can directly get in touch and solve the issue or put pressure on the Kabul administration to solve it."

Afghan officials have personally met the militants. They are negotiating over the phone but little progress appears to have been made so far.

Afghan troops have deployed from their base in Ghazni province close to where the hostages are believed to be held by Taliban militants.

Officials have not said where the troops are being moved to, but have confirmed they are on standby to launch an operation against the kidnappers if needed.

Relatives of the 23 kidnapped South Koreans are relieved and welcome the third extension.

Cha Sung-Min, hostage relative, said, "The feeling we have right now is the same as yesterday and the same as the day before. We have become very anxious as the deadline approaches. But because we've confirmed there are reliable channels between our government and the Taliban, our feelings have stabilized, and families have more faith in the government in rescuing the hostages."

Meanwhile, activists in Seoul have held another candlelight vigil demanding the immediate release of the hostages. They are also demanding the withdrawal of South Korean troops from Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan.

The hostages, mostly doctors and nurses, were abducted from a bus between Kabul and southern Kandahar in central Ghazni province on Thursday.