WORLD / Asia-Pacific |
TV airs purported Taliban video of S.Korean hostages(AP)Updated: 2007-07-31 03:04 CAIRO, Egypt - The Al-Jazeera TV channel showed a video Monday of several South Korean hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The pan-Arab satellite TV did not say how it obtained the video, and its authenticity could not immediately be verified. Some seven female hostages, heads veiled in accordance to the Islamic law enforced by the Taliban, were seen crouching in the dark, eyes closed or staring at the ground. The hostages, who looked prostrated, did not speak as the shaky hand-held camera filmed them. A group of 23 Korean Christian volunteers were kidnapped while traveling by bus in southern Afghanistan on July 19. One of the hostages was shot dead last week in unclear circumstances, and the Taliban claimed Monday they killed a second one. Taliban representatives, or officials claiming to speak on their behalf, have threatened to kill the remaining hostages if their demand for the release of insurgent prisoners held by the Afghan government is not met. |
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