August 30, 2007

Taliban Releases More South Korean Hostages

The Taliban released four more South Korean hostages and is expected to release the remaining three sometime today, ending a six-week crisis. Twelve captives were released on Tuesday.

The Taliban originally kidnapped 23 Christian missionaries on July 19 as they were traveling from Kabul to the Ghazni province, a Taliban stronghold. Two male hostages were shot and killed when Taliban demands for a prisoner exchange were not met. In mid-August, two female hostages were released as a show of goodwill.

The 12 hostages freed on Tuesday were released in three separate groups in scattered locations after South Korean diplomats reached an agreement with Taliban representatives. It is reported that no money exchanged hands, but that the South Korean government reiterated previously agreed upon plans to withdraw 200 non-combat troops from Afghanistan, as well as to halt missionary work in the Muslim country.

While the Taliban failed to secure a prisoner exchange with the Afghan government, officials from the region fear that their successful negotiations with the South Korean government will give the group increased legitimacy and that hostage tactics could be used more frequently.

The Taliban is still holding a German engineer and four Afghans, who were captured the day before the South Korean hostages.

Posted at 11:23 AM
Posted to: Afghanistan, Asia, South Korea, Terrorism
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