Taliban rebels said on Tuesday negotiations to free the 23 Korean hostages they are holding in Afghanistan were at a crucial stage.
Talks between the Taliban and Afghan tribal elders, who are liaising with the Kabul government and South Korea, went on as a rebel deadline for Seoul to agree to pull its 200 troops out of Afghanistan passed on Tuesday.No new deadline had been set, a Taliban spokesman said.
The militants, who are also seeking the release of Taliban prisoners, have warned that use of force by government troops surrounding them would put the lives of the 23 Christian hostages -- 18 women and five men -- at risk.
"Our negotiations are still going on," said spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf. "Progress has been made ... we are in a very crucial moment of our talks. Until the negotiations are finished, we can't provide details. We did not extend the deadline again, and have not made the final decision."
The Christian hostages were seized from a bus in Ghazni province on the main highway south from the capital on July 19.
A delegation of Korean diplomats in Afghanistan was helping negotiate with the Taliban with tribal elders mediating.
"We are hopeful that this issue is to be finalised today through talks. By no means will military operations be used," Ghazni governor Mirajuddin Pathan told Reuters.
The kidnappers had conflicting and confusing demands, Pathan said, but they included the withdrawal of Korean troops. Seoul has said its contingent of military engineers and medics will leave Afghanistan as planned at the end of this year.
"Talks have begun with the Koreans," Yousuf said. "We are demanding the release of 30 Taliban prisoners. Korea says it will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year. That's a good sign."
