Korean hostages to b released

TWO Taliban leaders , Nasrullah and Bashir have said thy will release the 21 South Koreans, held for three weeks, at the end of direct talks with Korean officials, and as early as "today or tomorrow".

Mawlavi Nasrullah, one of the two Taliban negotiators, said: "We assure you and the whole world that all of the Koreans will be released and will go to their homes."

Qari Bashir, the other Taliban leader taking part in the second round of talks in the central Afghan town of Ghazni on Saturday, said the focus of the talks was on the number of Taliban prisoners to be released.

He said the Taliban want 21 prisoners released in exchange for the Korean hostages

Speaking to reporters outside the Afghan Red Cross office where the talks were being held, Bashir said: "God willing, the [Afghan] government and the government of Korea will accept this."