BRITAIN: Taliban Free Dozen Hostages After Deal

Aug 30, 06:01 PM

Current Headlines: TALIBAN militants in Afghanistan yesterday released 12 of 19 South Korean captives as part of deal struck with the South Korean government to resolve a hostage crisis that began almost six weeks ago.

The agreement, reached in direct talks between South Korean diplomats and the Taliban, was criticised by one Afghan government minister amid concerns it could embolden the insurgents at a time of rising violence in the country.

The hostages were released into the care of officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross at three separate locations in central Afghanistan close to the city of Ghazni, an Associated Press reporter who witnessed the hand-overs said.

The first group of three women were released in the village of Qala-e-Kazi.

Several hours later, four women and one man were released in a desert close to Shah Baz.

As dusk approached, four more hostages were freed on a main road around 30 miles from Ghazni, the reporter said.

The insurgents have said they will free all the hostages over the next 48 hours.

They have not stated the reason for the staggered release, but one factor is believed to be logistical difficulties related to the fact that the captives are being held in different groups far from each other.

The women all wore shawls over their heads. None of the 12 said anything to reporters before being bustled into Red Cross vehicles.

Relatives of those released expressed relief the ordeal was over.

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