July 30, 2007

Taliban Claims To Have Killed Another Hostage

Taliban kidnappers are claiming to have killed another South Korean hostage after the Afghan government failed to meet their demands by a late afternoon deadline today, Reuters and AFP report.

"We shot dead a male captive because the government did not listen to our demands," Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf reportedly told Reuters.

Kidnappers have been holding the 22 hostages for over a week. They are demanding that the Afghan government free 23 Taliban prisoners in exchange for the hostages' safe return. Kidnappers shot and killed another male hostage last week and have repeatedly threatened more violence if their demands are not met.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai spoke out against the Taliban's tactics for the first time publicly over the weekend. "Hostage taking and abuse of foreign guests, especially women, is against Islam and the Afghan culture," Karzai reportedly told South Korean envoy Baek Jong-chun yesterday. Eighteen of the remaining hostages are women.

Afghan officials today asked for more time in their negotiations with the kidnappers. Reuters reports that the group's spokesman did not mention a new deadline when he spoke with reporters by telephone about the latest killing.

Posted at 1:45 PM
Posted to: Afghanistan, Terrorism
Share via