Taleban release five South Korean hostages in Afghanistan

Taleban rebels in Afghanistans central Ghazni town have released five more South Korean hostages from a group of 19 that they have been holding since July.

Kabul, Aug.29 : Taleban rebels in Afghanistan's central Ghazni town have released five more South Korean hostages from a group of 19 that they have been holding since July.

According to reports, three of the five hostages were said to be in good health. The freed hostages have been handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The South Koreans, who work for a Christian charity, were kidnapped in July, and were doing voluntary work in Afghanistan.Haji Zahir, a tribal elder who has been acting as a mediator in efforts to secure the Koreans' release, was quoted by the BBC as saying he and two other elders had travelled to meet the Taleban and bring the released hostages by car to Ghazni.

The releases come a day after the South Korean Government said it had reached a deal with the Taleban.

South Korea has agreed to withdraw troops from Afghanistan as scheduled by the end of the year. It also said it would end all missionary work in the country and stop its citizens from travelling there.

There has been no mention of money being paid, but it is thought that a ransom may have been part of the deal, says the BBC.

A Taleban representative, Mullah Basheer, earlier announced that all 19 would be released in the coming week.

"Others will also be released step by step, but they will be released for sure. One of our main demands has not been accepted, but our other demands were welcomed. All of the Koreans will be released in less than a week."

The Taleban appear to have dropped their earlier demand that Taleban members be released from Afghan prisons in exchange for the hostages' freedom.

The militants kidnapped 23 South Koreans on July 19, while they travelled by bus on the main Kandahar to Kabul highway.

They subsequently killed two male hostages and later freed two women following a first round of talks.

The hostages are thought to be held in several different locations in Ghazni province.

Some 200 South Korean non-combat personnel are deployed in the country to help with reconstruction efforts. Seoul had already decided, before the kidnap, to end the deployment.

ANI