Another deadline has passed for 22 South Koreans being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Islamic militants had given the Afghan government until 12 p.m., local time, today to release jailed Taliban militants in exchange for the release of the South Korean Christian aid workers.
A South Korean presidential envoy due to arrive in Kabul today is expected to go straight to an urgent meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
They are expected to discuss how to save the remaining captives, most of whom are women.
The leader of the aid workers, who were abducted on July 19, was killed earlier this week.
The bullet-riddled body of the 42-year-old pastor was found July 25 on the main highway heading south from Kabul -- close to where the group was seized while traveling on the highway between Kabul and Kandahar in Ghazni Province.
The captors have been surrounded for days by security forces. South Korean and Afghan authorities say they are making every possible effort to win the release of the hostages without a battle.
Hostage Pleads For Help
U.S. and British media say they have obtained an interview with one of the hostages.
CBS News said the woman pleaded for help and said that all of the hostages were sick. CBS said it had arranged the telephone interview with a Taliban commander.
The BBC said it had obtained a similar interview with the hostage.
Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
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