Kidnapped S Koreans said to be healthy
Saturday, 25 August 2007
KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug 24 (AP): Nineteen South Koreans held hostage for six weeks in Afghanistan are kept on the move by their Taliban captors, but are said to be in good health, a doctor in touch with a senior commander in the insurgent group told reporters Friday.
Meanwhile, US-led coalition troops shot dead a suspected militant and detained 11 other people during a raid in eastern Afghanistan, the coalition said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Dr. Mohammad Hashim Wahaaj delivered medicine to the Taliban to give to the South Koreans. He said he was not allowed to examine the hostages, but discussed any medical concerns over the phone with their captors.
Wahaaj told a media conference he remained in regular telephone contact with Mullah Mansor, the Taliban commander in the area where the South Korean aid workers were kidnapped on July 19.
He said Mansor had told him the South Koreans "were fine and have no medical problems," but were split into several groups and moved around every "six to eight hours" to stay one step ahead of Afghan security forces.
Wahaaj, who runs a health clinic in the Afghan capital Kabul, also appealed to the Taliban to allow him to treat or deliver medicine to a German engineer and four Afghans kidnapped more than a month ago.
The German appeared in a video broadcast on Afghan television on Thursday apparently in pain, lying on the ground, coughing and holding his chest
Meanwhile, US-led coalition troops shot dead a suspected militant and detained 11 other people during a raid in eastern Afghanistan, the coalition said in a statement.
Earlier this month, Dr. Mohammad Hashim Wahaaj delivered medicine to the Taliban to give to the South Koreans. He said he was not allowed to examine the hostages, but discussed any medical concerns over the phone with their captors.
Wahaaj told a media conference he remained in regular telephone contact with Mullah Mansor, the Taliban commander in the area where the South Korean aid workers were kidnapped on July 19.
He said Mansor had told him the South Koreans "were fine and have no medical problems," but were split into several groups and moved around every "six to eight hours" to stay one step ahead of Afghan security forces.
Wahaaj, who runs a health clinic in the Afghan capital Kabul, also appealed to the Taliban to allow him to treat or deliver medicine to a German engineer and four Afghans kidnapped more than a month ago.
The German appeared in a video broadcast on Afghan television on Thursday apparently in pain, lying on the ground, coughing and holding his chest