Afghanistan's Taliban has decided not to free any of 21 South
Korean hostages despite earlier saying two women could go, the
Korea's Yonhap news agency reported Sunday citing an insurgents'
spokesman.
Yonhap quoted Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi as saying: "Our
leaders have changed their minds and decided not to free two female
hostages."
South Korean officials refused to confirm the report.
After face-to-face talks between the Taliban and a South Korean
delegation, Ahmadi told AFP late Saturday that the two women, who
are reported to be ill, were being released unconditionally as a
"gesture of goodwill."
The Taliban abducted 23 Christian aid workers in volatile
southern Ghazni province on July 19. Two male hostages have been
shot dead, and the insurgents have threatened to kill the rest
unless captured militants are released from jail in exchange for
their lives.
But Kabul, backed by Washington, has refused to accept that
demand, fearing it would only encourage more kidnappings.
The government in Seoul, meanwhile, says it is powerless to
bring about a prisoner release.
(China Daily via agencies August 13, 2007)
