|
Taliban militants who are holding 23 Korean hostages in Afghanistan killed one male hostage at 4 p.m. on Wednesday (8:30 p.m. KST), a purported spokesman for the group said. The Afghan government confirmed a hostage had been killed, while the Afghan Islamic Press quoted the spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, as saying the name of the victim was ˇ°Hon Qud son of Hochim.ˇ± The victim is believed to be a 42-year-old pastor named Bae Hyung-kyu. ˇ°Since Kabul's administration did not listen to our demand and did not free our prisoners, the Taliban shot dead a male Korean hostage,ˇ± he told Reuters.
The Taliban, who had set 6:30 p.m. Wednesday as their negotiating deadline, threatened to kill the hostages after a new deadline on Thursday, 1 a.m. ˇ°If the administration of Kabul is not ready to release our hostages, then by 1 a.m. the rest of the hostages will be killed,ˇ± Ahmadi said. ˇ°That time is the last deadline.ˇ±
 |
|
A South Korean woman participates in a rally, demanding the safe return of South Koreans kidnapped in Afghanistan and the withdrawal of South Korean troops from that country in Seoul on Wednesday./AP
|
 |
|
However, a Korean government source said eight of the 23 Korean hostages are believed to have been freed. The source said as soon as the hostages are handed over, they will be taken to a safe place, undergo a brief medical checkup and be flown back to Korea as soon as possible. Japanese broadcaster NHK quoted an Afghan government source as saying they were seven women and one man.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
