Taliban, SKorean Hostage Talks to Resume

South Korean and Taliban officials reportedly have ended five days of telephone talks for direct dialogue regarding 19 Korean hostages in Afghanistan.

Speaking to Yonhap news agency on the phone, Haji Zahir, a tribal elder from a district in central Ghazni, was quoted as saying direct talks were set for Thursday. The report said Zahir, according to local media, is known to be playing an intermediary role in the crisis. The hostages are being held in the Ghazni area.

Zahir also was quoted as saying South Korean officials and Taliban leaders have been in telephone contact for the last five days. The militants killed two of the 23 hostages since kidnapping them on July 19 and freed two sick women captives, leaving 19 still in captivity.

The news agency said South Korea’s Foreign Ministry didn’t confirm the resumption of direct talks.

The militants have vowed to kill the other hostages if the Afghan government doesn’t release Taliban prisoners. The Afghan government has refused to meet the demand.