KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- The Taliban, holding 21 South Koreans hostage in Afghanistan, reportedly still want a hostage-prisoner swap despite the Afghan government’s refusal to do so.
The Voice of America reported Tuesday the militants continue to press their demand although a day earlier Afghan President Hamid Karzai, on his U.S. visit, had refused to make such concessions in exchange for the lives of the surviving hostages. The militants already have killed two of the hostages since abducting them July 19.
The VOA said the negotiations continued Tuesday but no progress was reported. It quoted a top Taliban spokesman that his group would consider releasing one female hostage in exchange for one of its female prisoners held by the Afghan government.
Earlier, it had been reported the Taliban were demanding a one-for-one swap of both men and women.
On his U.S. visit, Karzai and the Bush administration reiterated their policy of not making any deals with the Taliban, the report said. But Afghan officials reportedly were trying to help South Koreans have a face-to-face meeting with the Taliban.
In South Korea, relatives of the hostages have criticized the United States for not doing more to resolve the crisis.
