Taliban frees two Korean hostages

Kabu, Aug 13 (UNI) Taliban insurgents today released two female Korean hostages on ''grounds of ill-health'' and handed them over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The two hostages, who were among the 23 kidnapped by the Taliban last month, were relesed this evening (at around 1710hrs local time) and handed over to the humanitaian organisation.

Though the hostages were apparently selected on grounds of ill-health, they were both able to walk to the ICRC car.

However, a Taliban spokesman said the decision to free the duo had been made by the Taliban leadership council, headed by Mullah Mohammad Omar, as a goodwill gesture towards the Korean people and South Korean diplomats who were negotiating for the hostages' release.

The release of the two hostages follows direct talks between Korean officials and the Taliban.

The Taliban had earlier announced that they had released the two women, but the actual release apparently could not materialise because of indecision on a specific time and place.

The Taliban now hold 19 Korean hostages -- 16 of them women -- out of the kidnapped 23 as they have earlier killed two male hostages.

Meanwhile speaking to UNI, the Director of Foreign Affairs and Communication for the Ghazni Governor, Zia Wali, said that the two released hostages would probably stay in Ghazni city tonight before being brought to Kabul tomorrow.

They are reportedly now in the base of the US military PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team) in Ghazni.

Wali also said that the talks between the two parties would continue, but the time and place for the next round of talks was yet to be determined.

A member of the government appointed peace and reconciliation commission is also involved in the negotiations, Wali added.

Direct talks between the Taliban and the Korean officials were facilitated by the ICRC which provided security guarantees to the Taliban delegation, which had held a press conference -- the first open press conference since their fall in 2001 -- outside the venue of the talks.

UNI