A total of 12 South Korean hostages were released by Taliban militants in Afghanistan on Wednesday following six weeks in captivity. The remaining seven hostages are expected to be freed in the next few days.
A Xinhua reporter saw a local tribal elder hand the third batch of three female and one male hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Qarabagh District of central Ghazni Province.
Earlier Wednesday, eight hostages had been freed. The first group of three female hostages was handed over in Qalaqazi to officials of the ICRC by a local tribal elder, who took over responsibility for the hostages from the Taliban.
South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Hee-yong said the three were identified as Ahn Hye-jin, Lee Jung-ran and Han Ji-young.
The second group of one male and four female hostages were freed in the Shabaz area of Ghazni Province.
The ministry said the five are Ko Se-hoon, Lee Sun-young, Lyu Jung-hwa, Lee Ji-young and Lim Hyun-joo.
These eight hostages have arrived in Ghazni City and have been met by South Korean officials there.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a South Korean national, welcomed the agreement between the Taliban and South Korean authorities and called for the quick release of all hostages.
He said he used all possible measures, including holding talks with leaders in Afghanistan and other countries, to help secure the hostages' release.
The Taliban and the South Korean government made a deal on Tuesday, which will see 19 South Korean hostages released with no Taliban prisoners being freed. In return, the South Korean government promised to withdraw all its 200 troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and to forbid all Christian activities in this country.
A total of 23 South Koreans were kidnapped by Taliban militants on a road in Ghazni Province on July 19.
Taliban rebels shot dead two male hostages on July 25 and July 30 after authorities tarried in meeting their demands.
Two female hostages were released on Aug. 13 in a show of good will by the Taliban towards the South Korean authorities.
The Afghan government refused to release Taliban prisoners as the Taliban has demanded to exchange for the remaining hostages.
Kidnappings have been frequently carried out by Taliban militants for the last two years, with some being killed.
(Xinhua News Agency August 30, 2007)
