Taliban claimed to get $20 million from S. Korea to release hostages

Sep 01: Taliban leaders have claimed of being paid $20 million as a ransom to free 19 hostages that were kidnapped and kept in captivity since last six weeks. They said that this money will be invested to buy arms and vehicle for carrying more suicide attacks.

The South Korean Government was denying the charges that they paid a ransom to free the hostages, but sources revealed that this was the only solution with the mediator to resolve this crisis. South Korean Government came under International criticism to strike a deal with the Taliban who earlier had killed two of the captive hostages.

Taliban has vowed to go for more killings and kidnapping of foreigner as this method was a success.

They choose this way to punish allies of Afghanistan and United States, but South Korea has pledged to call back its troops and missionaries from Afghanistan under an agreement with Taliban to free those hostages.

Afghanistan ’s main opposition party, the National Front, has criticized the Afghan government of allowing South Korean to involve in direct talk with the abductor; it also criticizes South Korea for sending its missionaries to Afghanistan to convert its people into Christianity.

Hostages were member of missionaries and apologized to their country for being kidnapped and causing trouble.

However by paying a ransom amount to the militants, the South Korea has put the life of thousands of soldiers and workers from different nations in danger who are engaged in reconstruction of the lost world Afghanistan. Now the Taliban militants will continue such acts as they believe to win their battle by kidnapping and killing innocent civilians.

In fact in conflict prone areas like Afghanistan and Taliban, the UN allied nations should not agree with any such demand from the insurgent groups which can force them to the negotiation table but some believe that it was an unavoidable choice to save 21 lives.

On the other hand some can believe that a direct talk with Taliban militants has increased the status of Taliban. As a result governments of Germany and Canada have strongly criticized this stand of South Korea as they have deployed a large number of soldiers in Afghanistan.

Though Afghanistan refused to fulfill militant’s demand of releasing Taliban prisoners but it somehow undermines Afghan rule and certainly a political triumph for Taliban.

But away from all these, the free hostages are on the way to their home for an emotional reunion with their family after six week stand off. They left Kabul on a United Nations flight to Dubai, from where they will take flight to Seoul.