A total of 12 South Korean hostages were released by Taliban
militants in Afghanistan on Wednesday following six weeks in
captivity. The remaining seven hostages are expected to be freed in
the next few days.
A Xinhua reporter saw a local tribal elder hand the third batch
of three female and one male hostages to the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Qarabagh District of central
Ghazni Province.
Earlier Wednesday, eight hostages had been freed. The first
group of three female hostages was handed over in Qalaqazi to
officials of the ICRC by a local tribal elder, who took over
responsibility for the hostages from the Taliban.
South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Hee-yong said the
three were identified as Ahn Hye-jin, Lee Jung-ran and Han
Ji-young.
The second group of one male and four female hostages were freed
in the Shabaz area of Ghazni Province.
The ministry said the five are Ko Se-hoon, Lee Sun-young, Lyu
Jung-hwa, Lee Ji-young and Lim Hyun-joo.
These eight hostages have arrived in Ghazni City and have been
met by South Korean officials there.
?UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a South Korean national,
welcomed the agreement between the Taliban and South Korean
authorities and called for the quick release of all hostages.
He said he used all possible measures, including holding talks
with leaders in Afghanistan and other countries, to help secure the
hostages' release.
The Taliban and the South Korean government made a deal on
Tuesday, which will see 19 South Korean hostages released with no
Taliban prisoners being freed. In return, the South Korean
government promised to withdraw all its 200 troops from Afghanistan
by the end of this year, and to forbid all Christian activities in
this country.
A total of 23 South Koreans were kidnapped by Taliban militants
on a road in Ghazni Province on July 19.
Taliban rebels shot dead two male hostages on July 25 and July
30 after authorities tarried in meeting their demands.
Two female hostages were released on Aug. 13 in a show of good
will by the Taliban towards the South Korean authorities.
The Afghan government refused to release Taliban prisoners as
the Taliban has demanded to exchange for the remaining
hostages.
Kidnappings have been frequently carried out by Taliban
militants for the last two years, with some being killed.
(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2007)
