SKorean hostage talks resume: Taliban

GHAZNI: Talks between the Taliban and a South Korean delegation on the fate of 21 hostages resumed on Saturday, the militant group said without reporting a breakthrough.
       
The talks resumed at around 8:45 am (0745 IST) after breaking before midnight, Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi told.

Afghan officials were not available to confirm the talks had resumed.

Ahmadi said the Taliban negotiators were sticking to their demand that eight of their men be released from jail in exchange for the hostages, who have been captive for more than three weeks.

He said "maybe" something would change during the talks but gave no details.

The negotiations, seen as one of the last ways to save the hostages with the government refusing to meet the prisoner swap demand, are taking place in the small town of Ghazni near where the group was kidnapped July 19.

The hardliners have already murdered two of the hostages and have threatened to kill more.