The Taliban has set the eighth deadline for executing some South Korean hostages, which would last until 4:00 p.m. (1130 GMT) on Monday, a purported Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi said Monday.
"At the request of Afghan and South Koran authorities, we have extended the deadline once again," Ahmadi told Xinhua from an undisclosed place, adding "we will decide what to do after that."
The seventh deadline for the hostages expired at 12:00 p.m. ( 0730 GMT) on Monday, but there was no word of execution of the hostages.
Meanwhile, Alishah Ahmadzai, police chief of Ghazni province, where the hostages are being held, said no progress has been made in the talks and the Afghan government has asked the Taliban to extend the deadline for another two days.
Taliban militants have stuck to the exchange of South Korean hostages for Taliban prisoners, but the Afghan government apparently is reluctant to release them.
A total of 23 South Koreans were kidnapped by Taliban militants on a road in the central Ghazni province on July 19. One male hostage was executed by Taliban insurgents on July 25.
Source: Xinhua
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