All Korean hostages still in Taliban hands-spokesman

GHAZNI, Afghanistan, Aug 12 (Reuters) Two seriously ill South Korean hostages are still in Taliban hands, a spokesman for the rebel group said today, but would be freed soon.

The spokesman said late yesterday the two women had been freed and would soon arrive in the city of Ghazni, close to where they and 21 other Korean church volunteers were abducted by the insurgents more than three weeks ago.

Today, Qari Mohammad Yousuf said the Taliban's leadership council had made the decision to free the two women and it was only a matter of time before they were handed over to the government.

But it was the same spokesman who said the pair had already been freed late Saturday. Yousuf has made conflicting statements in the past, blaming problems communicating with fighters in the field.

Local and national Afghan government officials say they do not know anything about any release and do not have the two Koreans in their custody.

The South Korean government declined to comment.

''We have no comment on the reports. But we are maintaining a direct contact with (the) Taliban,'' a South Korean government official, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters.

The government will confirm reports and make comments when it secures the hostages, he said.

South Korean diplomats are due to start a third day of face-to-face talks with Taliban negotiators toay to try to free the prisoners.

The Taliban have already killed two male hostages and threatened to kill the remaining 21, 18 of whom are women, unless a similar number of Taliban prisoners are freed in exchange.

The Afghan government has refused to give in to the demand, saying that would just encourage more kidnapping.

REUTERS SW KP1021