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Kidnappers of UN workers extend deadline for their killing
A Taliban splinter group claiming to hold three foreign UN workers in Afghanistan extended Wednesday's deadline for their killing as an Afghan official expressed optimism at winning the hostages' release.
"Our leaders decided in a council (meeting) to extend the deadline up to this (Wednesday) evening to give enough time for the ongoing negotiations," Sayed Khaleed, one of at least three men claiming to speak on behalf of Jaishul Muslimeen, told AFP by phone from a secret location.
Khaleed did not set an exact time for the extension of the deadline from the original time of midday (0730 GMT).
Mediators were in touch with Jaishul leaders to negotiate the hostages' release but Khaleed would not identify them.
"There are people talking with our leaders. Whether those people are talking on behalf of the UN or the government or both of them, I cannot say," he said.
Afghan authorities, who have still not confirmed negotiations, were hopeful the hostages would be freed.
"We are optimistic about securing a release of the UN workers before the deadline ends," interior ministry spokesman Lutfullah Mashal told AFP.
"I can't confirm talks between the interior ministry and the hostage-takers but I can confirm that progress is being made."
Jaishul Muslimeen, which has distanced itself from the mainstream Taliban led by Mullah Omar, has demanded that the US release all Taliban prisoners and that the 27,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, along with the United Nations, quit the country.
The three hostages -- Annetta Flanigan from northern Ireland, Shqipe Habibi from Serbia's mainly Muslim province of Kosovo, and Angelito Nayan from the Philippines -- were abducted at gunpoint last Thursday from their vehicle in busy lunchtime traffic in Kabul.
All three had been working on Afghanistan's first presidential election, held October 9.
The kidnappers told the Afghan Islamic Press, a private Pakistan-based news agency, that they have given the UN a list of Taliban prisoners held in Afghanistan.
"The UN has asked for a list of prisoners and we have prepared a list of at least 25 prisoners who are in different jails in Afghanistan," Jaishul Muslimeen's commander Akbar Agha told the agency.
"We have not prepared any list of Afghan prisoners in Guantanamo Bay but the Afghans locked there should be released."
The US military runs several detention centres in Afghanistan, the main one being at its base north of Kabul.
Most Taliban prisoners, arrested in the wake of the US-led ousting of the Taliban regime in late 2001 are held at the US naval detention centre at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
An 18,000-strong US-led coalition has been in Afghanistan since late 2001 hunting, capturing and killing suspected Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters.
Another 9,000 peacekeepers from around 30 countries are patrolling mainly in Kabul as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. |
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