Taliban Release 12 South Korean Hostages
'Pakistan Times' Monitoring Desk

GHAZNI (Afghanistan): The Taliban freed 12 of their 19 South Korean captives on Wednesday as the wrenching six-week hostage crisis in Afghanistan neared resolution.

The extremist movement handed over 10 women and two men to tribal elders in three separate releases several hours apart outside the central town of Ghazni. The aid workers were then driven to safety in Red Cross vehicles.

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) representative Greg Muller confirmed that 12 hostages had been released and taken to the Red Crescent Society offices in Ghazni, 140 kilometres (90 miles) south of Kabul.

"They seem after six weeks in detention very much relieved which is a natural reaction after an extremely stressful experience," Muller said.

"But physically they seem in good shape," he added. Many of the freed women were wearing colourful headscarves and some appeared to be in tears. They covered their faces as they were bundled into Red Cross vehicles. A bearded male hostage grinned broadly.

The freed hostages were among 23 Christian aid workers kidnapped by Taliban militants on July 19. Two male captives were executed by their captors and two female hostages were freed earlier this month.

The South Korean embassy in Kabul said the freed hostages were likely to be flown to the US military base at Bagram, north of Kabul, before leaving Afghanistan "as soon as possible."

Wednesday's releases came a day after the Taliban announced it would free all the hostages in the wake of South Korea's pledge to withdraw its military force from Afghanistan and ban missionary groups from the country.

The agreement came in face-to-face talks between Taliban negotiators and South Korean diplomats in Ghazni. The Taliban said the remaining hostages would likely be freed on Thursday.

Amid speculation over whether a ransom was paid, both the Taliban and the South Korean government denied there was any secret deal.

"I strongly deny this. It's not true that money was involved," Taliban commander Qari Mohammad Bashir said.

The hostage-takers said Tuesday it would take several days to free all the captives as they were in different areas.

News of the deal triggered tears of relief from their relatives who have been watching and praying for their lives since they were seized on a bus travelling from Kabul to the southern city of Kandahar.●