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Six women and two men AP reported were the first to be released among 23 Korean hostages in Afghanistan ended up remaining in captivity. What really happened to them? Collating all the international press reports, it appears the 23 hostages -- including the Rev. Bae Hyung-kyu, who was killed -- were separated and held captive in at least three different locations. And it appears that the armed group who held the eight had decided to release them. Citing an Afghan government negotiator, Japan¡¯s NHK channel on Thursday reported the Taliban abductors, who had tried to hand over the eight to Afghan government officials, returned to their hideout after seeing government tanks lined up along the way because they feared for their own safety. In an interview with the Times of London, Haji Mohammad Sadiq, the subgovernor of Qarabagh district, suggested that the Taliban, who had agreed to release the prisoners for a ransom, were scared off by the prospect of capture and ended up not showing up at the promised delivery point.
Asked about reports that the eight had been freed, presidential spokesman Chun Ho-seon said here Thursday, ¡°They did not enter areas under our side¡¯s jurisdiction.¡± AP reported the Korean government waited for the eight to arrive at a U.S. military installation in Ghazni Province. There is also speculation that the Afghan government failed to make the promised cash payment, causing the Taliban to return to their hideout. Citing sources in Afghanistan, Japan¡¯s Kyodo news agency and the Mainichi Shimbun daily reported ¡°huge sums of money¡± were transferred, suggesting that the money did not reach the Taliban at the desired time.
Chun expressed strong regret toward the rash of speculative reports being filed out of Afghanistan by foreign media, citing unnamed sources and without being confirmed by both sides. The spokesman said lives were at stake here, while many foreign media may be being manipulated by a group that appears to be the Taliban.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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