Ghazni, Afghanistan – The Afghan army dropped leaflets Wednesday warning of impending military action in the region where Taliban militants are holding 21 South Korean hostages, although the army said the operation is not connected to the captives.
Another deadline passed at noon with no word that any of the hostages had been killed, while the local governor said the Taliban militants had agreed to a face- to-face meeting requested by South Korea’s ambassador. Two hostages already have been killed.
In Ghazni province, where 23 South Koreans were kidnapped July 19 while driving from Kabul to the southern city of Kandahar, Afghan soldiers in helicopters dropped leaflets telling citizens to move to government- controlled areas in order to avoid upcoming military action.
Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Zahir Azimi said the mission, the start of which could be days or weeks away, had been long-planned and had no connection to the Korean kidnapping case. But a show of military force in the region could place the kidnappers under further pressure.
Gov. Marajudin Pathan said the Taliban agreed to a face-to- face meeting with South Korea’s ambassador to Afghanistan, and officials were looking for a suitable location to hold it.
Pathan said he did not know when the meeting would happen. He also said another high- ranking official had arrived from South Korea to take part in talks, although he did not know the official’s name or position.
Qari Yousef Ahmadi, who claims to speak for the Taliban militants, told The Associated Press after the noon deadline passed that the remaining 21 hostages were still alive but that two female captives were gravely ill and could die at any time.
He reiterated that the militants still wanted their key demand met – the release of Taliban prisoners in exchange for the lives of the Koreans.
A doctor who heads a private clinic said Afghan doctors would try to visit the hostages Friday and take them medicine. Dr. Mohammad Hashim Wahwaj said he didn’t have permission from the militants and didn’t know if the attempt would be successful.
The South Koreans, all from the same Christian church, are the largest group of foreign hostages taken in Afghanistan since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion that drove the Taliban from power.
Human Rights Watch called for the immediate release of all remaining captives. The New York-based group said the Taliban has kidnapped at least 41 Afghan civilians this year and killed at least 23 of them. The rest remain missing.
South Korea said it would send a parliamentary delegation to the United States to seek cooperation in resolving the crisis.
The South Korean president’s office said Wednesday that Washington was involved in efforts to win the hostages’ release, but at a basic level.
“We understand their dilemma and limits,” presidential spokesman Cheon Ho-Sun said.
