Taliban make new threat after hostage deadline expires

GHAZNI, Afghanistan (AFP) - Afghanistan's Taliban said more of the 21 South Korean hostages could be killed at "any time" after a Wednesday deadline expired with apparently no breakthrough in talks with the government.

The noon (0730 GMT) deadline was the latest in a series imposed since 23 hostages were seized two weeks ago. The militants have killed two of their captives -- one late Monday after two other deadlines expired. "After the deadline passed, one or more hostages could be killed any time," Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP. He said earlier there had been no progress in the negotiations.

Afghan authorities were trying to persuade the Taliban to allow a South Korean delegation to meet some of the hostages, said one of the chief negotiators, Waheedullah Mujadadi. "Talks continue," he said soon after the latest deadline, by which the Taliban had threatened to start killing the hostages unless authorities agreed to free some of its men from jail.