Taliban Frees 12 South Korean Hostages

Seven Members Of Church Group Still Held In Central Afghanistan's Ghazni Province

(CBS/AP)  A dozen South Korean hostages were freed by their Taliban captors in Afghanistan Wednesday, more than a month after a group of 23 Christian church volunteers was abducted.

They were turned over to the Red Cross in Afghanistan's central Ghazni province in three separate groups.

Mullah Sabir Nassir, the senior Taliban commander in Ghazni province, had told CBS News early Wednesday that 12 of the 19 hostages being held would be set free as part of a deal reached Tuesday with the South Korean government.

The liberations leave seven South Koreans still in Taliban captivity.

The first group - three women - were released in the village of Qala-e-Kazi. Several hours later, four women and one man were released in a desert close to Shah Baz, said an Associated Press reporter, who witnessed both hand-overs.

Finally, as dusk approached, four more hostages were freed on a main road around 31 miles from Ghazni City, the reporter said.

The first three arrived in the central Afghan village of Qala-E-Kazi in a single car, their heads covered with green shawls. They said nothing to reporters, who were asked by Red Cross representatives not to question them.

Red Cross officials quickly took the three to their vehicles before leaving for an undisclosed location.

The deal reached Tuesday is for the release of all the remaining South Korean hostages, who have been held by the Taliban since July 19th.

In Seoul, South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Hee-yong said the three, who he identified as Ahn Hye-jin, Lee Jung-ran and Han Ji-young, seen at left, did not appear to have any health problems.

Originally, there were 23 hostages. Two women were previously released unharmed, and two men were shot to death.

Taliban militants have been in direct negotiations with South Korean envoys in central Afghanistan for weeks.

In Seoul Tuesday, South Korean presidential spokesman Cheon Ho-sun announced the success of the latest talks.

"We welcome the agreement to release 19 South Koreans," said Cheon Ho-sun.

"I would like to dance," said Cho Myung-ho, mother of 28-year-old hostage Lee Joo-yeon.

The South Korean government said the hostage release is conditioned upon its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan by year's end, as previously planned, and stopping missionary work in the country.

Some 200 South Korean soldiers have been deployed in Afghanistan for reconstruction efforts, not combat.

South Korean missionaries have been active in Afghanistan, but travel to the country independently. The government has insisted that the 19 kidnapped South Koreans were not missionaries, but were doing aid work.

A regional Taliban commander, Mullah Abdullah, told CBS News Tuesday that all of the captives should be freed in "the next two or three days."

The group of 23 South Korean church volunteers were abducted as they drove along a major highway in Afghanistan's Ghazni province on July 19.

In late July, the militants executed two male hostages - including the South Korean group's leader - for reasons the Taliban did not make clear. Adbullah said Tuesday that the Taliban "was not sorry" for the slayings.

Taliban commanders have insisted throughout the ordeal that they were not after money, but instead, the release of Taliban prisoners held by Afghan and U.S. authorities. Washington and Kabul repeatedly refused to meet the demand.

Abductions have become a key insurgent tactic in recent months in trying to destabilize the country, targeting both Afghan officials and foreigners helping with reconstruction. A German engineer and four Afghan colleagues were kidnapped a day before the South Koreans are still being held.

The Taliban apparently backed down on earlier demands for a prisoner exchange. But the militant group could emerge with enhanced political legitimacy for negotiating successfully with a foreign government.

"One has to say that this release under these conditions will make our difficulties in Afghanistan even bigger," Commerce Minister Amin Farhang told Germany's Bayerischer Rundfunk radio. "We fear that this decision could become a precedent. The Taliban will continue trying to take hostages to attain their aims in Afghanistan."

Asked whether the militant group would continue to use kidnapping as a weapon against the Afghan government and its Western backers, Abdullah told CBS News it was considered "a good strategy."

[speakinup]

And, no, I don''t work for CBS. But, frankly, given the content of the posts to their web site, I''m a little surprised they haven''t yanked the plug on the experiment.

It seems to draw very few serious comments, and quite a few running gun battles between individuals. I admit, I''ve been guilty in the past, but I wasn''t at first.

Unfortunately, this web site has been somewhat like Iraq itself. Everyone gets so involved in their little local ***-for-tat (gotta wonder if THAT will make it thru) that nothing of value gets done.

[speakinup]

radiob - I couldn''t agree more. I''m extremely happy they are alive, but at what price ? Anyone responding positive towards the Taliban''s actions is a victim of Stockholm Syndrome.

I read the summary of your article, and will read the rest. It does paint a bleak picture. I''ll reserve comment until I have finished reading it. I have a function at my house this week-end, and it is unlikely I''ll be done until after then.

The reason I''m posting is, as you know, I was disappointed at the date of the article. However, while reading the article, I went to one of the footnoted sources (#2) ''The Brookings Institution''. The information seems to be more timely there.

I found two interesting items. One, an article on the Surge posted a month ago, by two Washington Post reporters.
http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/ohanlon/pollack20070730.htm

The other, the Iraq index. A very factual index tracking the reconstruction and security in Iraq. It is sited in your URL several times. Not all items in it are up to date, but many are more current than May/07. http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf

Both seem to present the information based on fact or experience. I would hope we could convince people on CBS''s to inform themselves with such information, as you have advocated. I think it is far more valueable to understand the truth and act on it, than sling hyperbole in the hopes of bullying someone into submission.

[libsluvsuvs]

what is next??the taliban will open an embassy in S. Korea??

[lars008-2009]

it is fascist nazi terrorislam stupid%u2026.

non muslims of the world unite... fight against the tyranny of the fascist nazi terrorslam imperialist empire of the darkside...

I was a fanatic...I know their thinking, says former radical Islamist
By blaming the Government for our actions, those who pushed this "Blair''s bombs" line did our propaganda work for us.
More important, they also helped to draw away any critical examination from the real engine of our violence: Islamic theology.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=465570&in_page_id=1770
Bless the Beasts and Children
Fascist nazi terrorslam kills every man woman and child in the village again%u2026 typical mo for terrorslam%u2026
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/bless-the-beasts-and-children.htm

Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan

the truth about fascist nazi terrorislam...
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/what-really-happened/

[one_american]

South Korea has just made itself a target of extortion and blackmail by agreeing with taliban terrorists. Now they can expect more of the same, since it seems to have worked for the taliban.

However, once the hostages are freed, any perpetrators of these actions, once caught, should be put on public trial, and publicly disgraced and hanged like the common criminals they are. Then thier bodies should be staked on a hillside for the buzzards to devour, and bury the bones in pork fat, making them unfit to go to ''allah''.

That might make the taliban re-think their "strategy".

[chicagopoet]

Bush is such a failure. The Taliban shouldn''t even exist anymore. I thought we dealt with them in Afghanistan before we invaded Iraq. I guess the Taliban is stronger than the "superpower" because here they are creating havoc again. Wow, the "superpower" couldn''t even defeat a bunch of nuts with sticks and pop guns as weapons. Bush, you have made America look weak. You should resign immediately. Your war on terrorism is a failure. End the war now. John Edwards is the answer.

[swwils]

Well now all they need to do is free the rest!The whole world is watching,better do it right before they kill them if they haven''t yet.HOPE NOT!

[oakishpines]

'' ... most volunteer to feed the world, some volunteer to tax it

there''s the majority of countys in the world that where folk make less than two dollars each day and the minority where folk make sixty or more dollars each day

most companys and other individuals service dozens or thousands each day for a few pennys or quarters of tips from some small percentage of the bunch ... ''

'' ... most get sick tax world authorities most time remind all that most folk most time dance porno get sick tax world get well feed world songs rallied around the sick beds drifting tens millions spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail groups ... ''

[gangesdak]

All the fighting and killing is going on in Afghanistan. And the Korean Christians wanted to fish in the troubled water. People there need food and shelter in a peaceful environment, and these Christians wanted more membership in their club! Then come all the sob stories. Ignorant phools!

[radiob-2009]

A act of goodwill of the Taliban to release some of the hostages after brutally shooting one ten times in the head, chest and stomach and killing another.