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| New deadline for Korean hostages | New deadline for Korean hostages |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Taleban rebels threatening to kill a group of 23 South Korean hostages in Afghanistan say they have extended the deadline for their demands to be met. | |
| The rebels have given officials until 1900 local time (1430 GMT) on Monday to trade Taleban prisoners for hostages. | The rebels have given officials until 1900 local time (1430 GMT) on Monday to trade Taleban prisoners for hostages. |
| Intense negotiations have been taking place between the two sides since the group were abducted on Thursday. | Intense negotiations have been taking place between the two sides since the group were abducted on Thursday. |
| Troops have surrounded the area where they are being held, but correspondents say the emphasis is on diplomacy. | Troops have surrounded the area where they are being held, but correspondents say the emphasis is on diplomacy. |
| South Korean envoys are in Kabul, and Afghan elders have been mediating between the militants and government negotiators in central Ghazni province, where the group was taken. | South Korean envoys are in Kabul, and Afghan elders have been mediating between the militants and government negotiators in central Ghazni province, where the group was taken. |
| The seizure is the largest-scale abduction of foreigners since the fall of the Taleban regime in 2001. | The seizure is the largest-scale abduction of foreigners since the fall of the Taleban regime in 2001. |
| Delicate diplomacy | Delicate diplomacy |
| The South Koreans were seized from a bus travelling from the city of Kandahar in the south to the capital, Kabul. | The South Koreans were seized from a bus travelling from the city of Kandahar in the south to the capital, Kabul. |
| They are reportedly Christians on an evangelical and aid mission. At least 15 are said to be women. | They are reportedly Christians on an evangelical and aid mission. At least 15 are said to be women. |
| The hostages are reported to be in good health but the rebels have said they will kill them if there is any attempt to free them by force or if the government fails to release a number of Taleban prisoners soon. | The hostages are reported to be in good health but the rebels have said they will kill them if there is any attempt to free them by force or if the government fails to release a number of Taleban prisoners soon. |
| The Taleban have also said they want South Korea's 200 troops to leave - although Seoul already plans to take its forces out by the end of the year. | The Taleban have also said they want South Korea's 200 troops to leave - although Seoul already plans to take its forces out by the end of the year. |
| The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kabul says delicate diplomacy, not military muscle, is at the forefront of efforts to get the South Koreans out safely. | The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kabul says delicate diplomacy, not military muscle, is at the forefront of efforts to get the South Koreans out safely. |
| An eight-strong South Korean delegation, including a presidential envoy, is in Kabul to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai and negotiate for the hostages' release. | An eight-strong South Korean delegation, including a presidential envoy, is in Kabul to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai and negotiate for the hostages' release. |
| German hostages | German hostages |
| On Sunday, police in Wardak province said they had found the body of one of two German hostages kidnapped last Wednesday. | On Sunday, police in Wardak province said they had found the body of one of two German hostages kidnapped last Wednesday. |
| The Germans, whose identity has not been revealed, were seized with a number of Afghans in Wardak, where they had been working on a dam project. | The Germans, whose identity has not been revealed, were seized with a number of Afghans in Wardak, where they had been working on a dam project. |
| A Taleban spokesman had said both men were killed on Saturday because Germany refused demands to withdraw its 3,000-strong force from the country. | A Taleban spokesman had said both men were killed on Saturday because Germany refused demands to withdraw its 3,000-strong force from the country. |
| But Berlin said it believed one hostage was still alive and the other died of a heart attack or stress. | But Berlin said it believed one hostage was still alive and the other died of a heart attack or stress. |
| Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday evening said Germany would not give in to Taleban "blackmail" to withdraw its troops. | Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday evening said Germany would not give in to Taleban "blackmail" to withdraw its troops. |
| The fate of the Afghans captured with the Germans is unknown. | The fate of the Afghans captured with the Germans is unknown. |