NPR: Reports: Taliban Agree to Release S. Korean Hostages

Reports: Taliban Agree to Release S. Korean Hostages

It looks like there might be some good news out of Afghanistan. The Associated Press is reporting that the Taliban have agreed to release the remaining 19 South Korean missionaries who they have been holding captive since July. The Taliban have already killed two of the male hostages and released two women.

The New York Times adds a cautionary note, however, reporting that it is not yet clear if the reports from Seoul and elsewhere are accurate.

AP reports that as part of the deal, South Korea has pledged to end all Christian missionary work in Afghanistan and to keep a promise to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year.

Then again, if true, South Korea didn't agree to anything new. The Seoul government had already said it would pull its 200 non-combat troops out by year's end and would stop missionaries from "causing trouble" in countries where they are not wanted.

The South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo notes that the agreement does not mean that the hostages will be released immediately. Negotiations will continue with the Taliban. The paper quotes a government spokesman who mentions one potential reason that the Taliban were ready to deal — it was just getting too inconvenient to hold so many people for such a long time.

12:15 PM ET | 08-28-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

bigbro wonders: Interesting that I should receive this missive about France and possible future Iraqi involvement. Everyone knows that France has the bomb. What I'm wondering is, 'Does Germany secretly have the bomb?' For years and years Israel denied having the bomb. I mean, Germany was a hairbreadth from having the bomb when WWII ended. During the decades of American occupation of Germany through the Cold War, mini-nukes were arrayed everywhere against a possible Soviet tank invasion. Does anyone have any thoughts on if Germany has the bomb stashed away in the shadows somewhere....bb

"French foreign minister Bernard Kouchner's visit to Iraq raised questions. What could be the use of such a visit other than to distance France from the position taken against the war in 2003? That opposition won France worldwide applause. It suggested a possibility that would be good for Europe and good for the world: the ability of Europeans to use their own good sense to reject American policies that lead to endless, futile war in the name of "anti-terrorism" or "human rights".

Sent by fred call | 1:04 PM ET | 08-28-2007

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