Afghans recover body of hostage

ARZOO – Afghan authorities yesterday recovered the body of a second South Korean shot dead by Taliban kidnappers who threatened to kill more of the 21 hostages if Kabul does not free rebel prisoners by 07h30 today.

The blood-stained body of the bespectacled male Korean was dumped on a clover field beside a road in Arzoo, a village lying some 10 km southeast of the town of Ghazni. “If the Kabul administration and Korean government do not give a positive reply to our demand about the release of Taliban prisoners by tomorrow 12h00 (local time), then we will start killing other hostages,” Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf told Reuters by telephone from an unknown location.President Hamid Karzai’s spokesman said bowing to Taliban demands would encourage more kidnapping.”We shouldn’t encourage kidnapping by actually accepting their demands …In this situation we are doing what is the best for the interests of the hostages, and government,” Humayun Hamidzada told reporters, without elaborating.Karzai came under harsh criticism in March for releasing a group of Taliban prisoners in exchange for an Italian journalist.”As far as the Italian journalist is concerned, (kidnapping) shouldn’t become an industry, it shouldn’t be encouraged,” Hamidzada said.Taliban spokesman Yousuf said Afghan negotiators had not contacted the Taliban since the second hostage was killed on Monday and said the insurgents suspected the Afghan government and foreign troops were intending to launch a rescue bid.Any attempt to rescue the hostages by force would put the Korean’s lives at risk, he warned.The victim was identified as Shim Sung-min, 29, a former employee of an IT firm who did volunteer work to help the poor.Police cordoned off the site in the village of Arzoo where Shim was found fearing it had been booby-trapped, but recovered the body later.The village is some 80 km from where the group of 18 women and five men were seized near Qarabagh on the main road south from Kabul, undermining statements by Afghan officials who said government forces had the kidnappers surrounded.The hostage crisis has focused attention on growing lawlessness in Afghanistan, where Taliban influence and attacks are spreading to areas previously considered safe, undermining support for a government unable to provide security.Separately, five Health Ministry officials, including three doctors, were abducted by gunmen in the southern province of Kandahar on Sunday, a provincial police chief said yesterday.Nampa-Reuters”If the Kabul administration and Korean government do not give a positive reply to our demand about the release of Taliban prisoners by tomorrow 12h00 (local time), then we will start killing other hostages,” Taliban spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf told Reuters by telephone from an unknown location.President Hamid Karzai’s spokesman said bowing to Taliban demands would encourage more kidnapping.”We shouldn’t encourage kidnapping by actually accepting their demands …In this situation we are doing what is the best for the interests of the hostages, and government,” Humayun Hamidzada told reporters, without elaborating.Karzai came under harsh criticism in March for releasing a group of Taliban prisoners in exchange for an Italian journalist.”As far as the Italian journalist is concerned, (kidnapping) shouldn’t become an industry, it shouldn’t be encouraged,” Hamidzada said.Taliban spokesman Yousuf said Afghan negotiators had not contacted the Taliban since the second hostage was killed on Monday and said the insurgents suspected the Afghan government and foreign troops were intending to launch a rescue bid.Any attempt to rescue the hostages by force would put the Korean’s lives at risk, he warned.The victim was identified as Shim Sung-min, 29, a former employee of an IT firm who did volunteer work to help the poor.Police cordoned off the site in the village of Arzoo where Shim was found fearing it had been booby-trapped, but recovered the body later.The village is some 80 km from where the group of 18 women and five men were seized near Qarabagh on the main road south from Kabul, undermining statements by Afghan officials who said government forces had the kidnappers surrounded.The hostage crisis has focused attention on growing lawlessness in Afghanistan, where Taliban influence and attacks are spreading to areas previously considered safe, undermining support for a government unable to provide security.Separately, five Health Ministry officials, including three doctors, were abducted by gunmen in the southern province of Kandahar on Sunday, a provincial police chief said yesterday.Nampa-Reuters