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| Afghanistan |
| S Korea wants more time for hostage talks, say Taliban |
| 2007-08-22 |
| South Korea has asked the Taliban for more time in talks over the fate of the remaining 19 Korean hostages held in Afghanistan, a Taliban spokesman said on Tuesday. Talks between Taliban and Korean negotiators are deadlocked after more than a month since the Taliban kidnapped the 19 Koreans. Two of the male hostages have already been killed and the Taliban are threatening to kill the rest if the Afghan government does not free jailed rebel prisoners. After talks last week, the Taliban freed two female captives as a gesture of goodwill, but little progress has been made since. Korean negotiators have stressed that they have no power to persuade Kabul to free Taliban prisoners and that it is a matter for the Afghan government to decide. “The Korean delegation has said they are making all efforts to make the American and the Afghan governments agree on the release of Taliban prisoners,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman. |
| Posted by:Fred |