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Taleban free four more S Koreans Taleban free four more S Koreans
(30 minutes later)
Four more South Korean hostages have been freed by their Taleban captors in Afghanistan.Four more South Korean hostages have been freed by their Taleban captors in Afghanistan.
The two men and two women were handed over to officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Ghazni province.The two men and two women were handed over to officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Ghazni province.
Three remain in custody, but there are hopes they too will be freed soon, the BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul says.Three remain in custody, but there are hopes they too will be freed soon, the BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul says.
Twelve of their fellow Christian volunteer charity workers were released on Wednesday after a six week ordeal.Twelve of their fellow Christian volunteer charity workers were released on Wednesday after a six week ordeal.
The four were handed over near the village of Janda in Ghazni province.
"We have received the first group of hostages," an ICRC official, Irfan Sulejmani, told AFP news agency."We have received the first group of hostages," an ICRC official, Irfan Sulejmani, told AFP news agency.
Mr Sulejmani said he was travelling to an area where he hoped to receive the remaining hostages.Mr Sulejmani said he was travelling to an area where he hoped to receive the remaining hostages.
The Taleban seized the group of 23 on 19 July in Ghazni province. Two male hostages were subsequently killed. The Taleban seized the group of 23 on 19 July in Ghazni province as they travelled by bus on the main Kandahar to Kabul highway.
Two male hostages were subsequently killed.
Deal
S Korea press wary over deal
The releases follow a series of direct talks between the South Korean government and the Taleban.
Two women were freed following the first round of talks a fortnight ago.
The release of 12 more hostages on Wednesday, 10 women and two men, came a day after Seoul said it had reached a deal with the Taleban.
South Korea agreed to withdraw its 200 troops from Afghanistan as scheduled by the end of the year. It also said it would end all missionary work in the country and stop its citizens from travelling there.South Korea agreed to withdraw its 200 troops from Afghanistan as scheduled by the end of the year. It also said it would end all missionary work in the country and stop its citizens from travelling there.
class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6970170.stm">S Korea press wary over deal The releases follow a series of direct talks between the South Korean government and the Taleban. The militants kidnapped 23 South Koreans on 19 July as they travelled by bus on the main Kandahar to Kabul highway. There was no mention of money being paid, but it is thought that a ransom may have been part of the deal, says the BBC's Alastair Leithead in Kabul.
They killed two of the male hostages last month and later freed two women following a first round of talks a fortnight ago. The Taleban appear to have dropped their earlier demand that Taleban members be released from Afghan prisons in exchange for the hostages' freedom.
The hostages are thought to have been held in several different locations in Ghazni province.The hostages are thought to have been held in several different locations in Ghazni province.