Afghanistan police kill four militants

GHAZNI – Taliban militants clashed with police in the same district where 23 South Koreans were abducted by Afghan insurgents, police said yesterday.

Four militants were killed and six wounded. The militants withdrew after exchanging fire for about an hour with police at a checkpoint in Qarabagh district of Ghazni province on Tuesday, said Mohammad Zaman, the deputy provincial police chief.He said no police were hurt in the clash.The 23 South Koreans were abducted July 19 in Qarabagh as they travelled by bus from Kabul to the southern city of Kandahar.Two of the captives have since been executed by the Taliban.There was no immediate indication that Tuesday’s clash was linked to the hostage crisis.There has not yet been a breakthrough in negotiations almost three weeks into the hostage ordeal.The captives – volunteers from a church group who planned to do health work in Afghanistan – include 16 women and five men.”We are trying to secure their release through negotiations,” said Zemarai Bashary, the spokesman for Interior Ministry.Authorities are putting pressure on the elders, tribal leaders and clerics of the area to convince the Taliban to free the captives, Bashary said.”If that is not enough, we will see what sort of plan could be effective in the future,” he said.The Taliban are demanding that Afghan authorities and the US military release a number of militant prisoners in return for freeing the South Koreans.Afghan authorities have so far refused any exchange, fearing it could lead to more kidnappings, despite South Korea urging ‘flexibility’ in the case.Marajudin Pathan, the governor of Ghazni province, said that South Korean officials and the Taliban would agree late Tuesday on a meeting place for their first face-to-face talks.However, South Korean officials and Taliban yesterday denied that any agreement on the venue was reached.- Nampa-APThe militants withdrew after exchanging fire for about an hour with police at a checkpoint in Qarabagh district of Ghazni province on Tuesday, said Mohammad Zaman, the deputy provincial police chief.He said no police were hurt in the clash.The 23 South Koreans were abducted July 19 in Qarabagh as they travelled by bus from Kabul to the southern city of Kandahar.Two of the captives have since been executed by the Taliban.There was no immediate indication that Tuesday’s clash was linked to the hostage crisis.There has not yet been a breakthrough in negotiations almost three weeks into the hostage ordeal.The captives – volunteers from a church group who planned to do health work in Afghanistan – include 16 women and five men.”We are trying to secure their release through negotiations,” said Zemarai Bashary, the spokesman for Interior Ministry.Authorities are putting pressure on the elders, tribal leaders and clerics of the area to convince the Taliban to free the captives, Bashary said.”If that is not enough, we will see what sort of plan could be effective in the future,” he said.The Taliban are demanding that Afghan authorities and the US military release a number of militant prisoners in return for freeing the South Koreans.Afghan authorities have so far refused any exchange, fearing it could lead to more kidnappings, despite South Korea urging ‘flexibility’ in the case.Marajudin Pathan, the governor of Ghazni province, said that South Korean officials and the Taliban would agree late Tuesday on a meeting place for their first face-to-face talks.However, South Korean officials and Taliban yesterday denied that any agreement on the venue was reached.- Nampa-AP