The Afghan government has formed a special presidential committee to deal with the South Korean hostage situation, and the committee is seeking "another means" to get the captives released, Yonhap News quoted a presidential spokesman as saying Tuesday in Dubai.
The special committee is made up of representatives of the foreign affairs, interior and national security ministries, spokesman Humayun Hamidzada told Yonhap through an intermediary. President Hamid Karzai is concerned about the captives and established the committee to help quickly resolve the crisis, he said.
Hamidzada said the committee was working hard toward a peaceful solution but also mentioned "another means" to have the hostages released.
Twenty-three South Koreans were kidnapped on July 19 while traveling in Afghanistan on a church-sponsored volunteer mission. The Taliban has claimed responsibility, and two male captives were executed as the Afghan government refused the militia's demands to exchange the hostages with Taliban prisoners.
The spokesman would not elaborate on what he meant by other means, only saying that all available options were being considered. But he said the options do not include any hostage swap.
(Yonhap)