Taliban militants have set free one of their hostages, a local official in the southern Ghazni province, a local newspaper reported Wednesday.

"Taliban on Tuesday set free Habib Rahman, the director of agriculture and irrigation department of the southern Zabul province after about three weeks in captivity," Outlook writes.

Quoting Taliban's spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, the newspaper said that militants released Rahman on the outskirts of Andar district in Ghazni province as a gesture of goodwill.

The militants executed two of their Afghan captives including a journalist and a driver in March.

Taliban have earlier released two French nationals while 11 others including 10 Afghans and one Pakistani engineer are still languishing in the custody of militants.

Source: Xinhua