KABUL: The Taliban kidnappers of 23 Korean hostages yesterday extended the deadline for the Republic of Korea (ROK) government to agree to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by 24 hours to 10:30 pm today.
"The Taliban have extended the deadline for another 24 hours," spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf told Reuters over the telephone from an unknown location.
Afghan army and police yesterday surrounded the kidnappers while tribal elders tried to mediate between the militants and government negotiators, a Kabul-based Western security analyst said.
The 23 hostages belong to the "Saemmul Church" in Bundang, a city outside the ROK capital, Seoul. Most of them are in their 20s and 30s, and include nurses and English teachers.
Yousuf said insurgents would start killing the hostages if the ROK did not agree to withdraw its 200 military engineers and medics by 10:30 pm Beijing time last night and the Afghan government did not free Taliban prisoners.
The ROK government has said it will withdraw its troops at the end of this year as planned.
"Afghan forces have surrounded the location of the kidnappers," the security analyst said. "They have no way to escape."
Afghan government negotiators were in the Qarabagh district of Ghazni province where the Koreans were seized and tribal elders were mediating with the group of around 70 Taliban kidnappers, he said.
But Afghan forces were also poised to strike.
"They are awaiting orders to attack suspected locations," the Defense Ministry said in a statement. "The operation will be launched if Defense Ministry authorities deem it necessary."
Yousuf said fighters were holding the captives at different locations and any attempt to free them by force would put the Koreans' lives at risk.
An ROK government delegation was also in Kabul holding talks with government officials.
"We are working very hard considering the deadline," said an ROK embassy official, who declined to give details.
The Taliban spokesman said militants had killed two German hostages on Saturday after Berlin refused to yield to similar demands for it to pull its troops out of Afghanistan.
German authorities have cast doubts on the authority of the Taliban spokesman, and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said analysis suggested one of the German hostages was alive while the other had died of "stress and strain".
Police found the body of one of the Germans in Wardak province, north of Ghazni, and doctors conducting a post-mortem concluded he died of a gunshot wound, the security analyst said.
The online edition of German weekly Der Spiegel said the dead German hostage, identified as Ruediger B., was diabetic and died after his kidnappers failed to get him the necessary medications through intermediaries.
The Koreans are the biggest group of foreigners kidnapped so far in the Taliban campaign to oust the Western-backed government and force out foreign troops.
ROK President Roh Moo-hyun said on Saturday the Koreans were providing free medical or educational services with no missionary intentions.
Tearful relatives prayed for their safe release at their church yesterday.
"My kids went to the war-ravaged country to do volunteer work, carrying love," said Seo Jung-bae, 57, whose son and daughter were both taken hostage. "I feel like chopping off my foot for letting you go. I hope you will return to us and the country without a single hair damaged."
Source: China Daily/agencies
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article