Taliban to Release Remaining 19 Korean Hostages

The Taliban has finally agreed to release the remaining 19 South Korean Christian hostages on two conditions: South Korea must (1) prohibit missionary work in Afghanistan and (2) withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year. Currently some 200 soldiers are “deployed in Afghanistan for reconstruction efforts, not combat.”

Qari Yousef Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said South Korean and Taliban delegates at face-to-face talks Tuesday in the central town of Ghazni had “reached an agreement” to free the captives.

The 23 aid workers—not missionaries, according to their sending church¹—were taken hostage on July 19. Two were killed and two released.

Coverage:

• Christian Post: Taliban Agrees to Release 19 Korean Christian Hostages
• MSNBC: Taliban, S. Korea reach agreement on captives
• NYTimes: Taliban Agree to Release South Korean Hostages
• World Magazine: Taliban promise to free South Koreans

See our previous posts:

• Jack Bauer, Paul, and the Rescuing of Hostages
• Second South Korean Hostage Killed
• 1 Korean Christian Hostage Killed
• Korean Christian Hostages Still Alive

Notes

1. ”The hostage group’s church has said those kidnapped were not involved in Christian missionary work there.” [↩ back]

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