Breaking: Operation Underway To Rescue Korean Hostages
Conflicting reports are coming in. Some Afghan government sources deny the operation…this may be due to security concerns, especially because the operation is particularly complex and it may require staggered strikes, due to the fact that the hostages are believed to be scattered in multiple locations. Developing…
Here’s Reuters’ Take:
GHAZNI, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A military operation to rescue the remaining 21 Korean hostages held by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan began on Wednesday, hours after a Taliban deadline expired, a provincial official said.
“The operation has started,” said Khowja Seddiqi, the district chief of Ghazni’s Qarabagh district, where the Taliban kidnapped 23 Korean Christian volunteers nearly two weeks ago.
He did not give more details or say which forces were involved.
Any attempt to rescue the hostages is fraught with risk, as the kidnappers have split the 18 women and three men into small groups and are holding them in different locations across the mainly flat terrain.
The Taliban could not be immediately be contacted, but spokesmen for the radical Islamist movement have repeatedly said any use of force would jeopardize the lives of the hostages.
Earlier the army had dropped leaflets warning civilians of an assault.
“The national army has dropped leaflets from helicopters telling people in several districts to evacuate their houses because it wants to launch an operation,” said Khowja Seddiqi, district chief of Qarabagh, in Ghazni province.
The Taliban have killed two male hostages after the Afghan government refused to bow to rebel demands to free jailed insurgents.
The defense ministry said earlier that the Afghan National Army had launched an operation in Ghazni, but insisted it was “routine” and was not linked with the kidnapping.
Earlier in the day, a Taliban spokesman said the group was expecting to hear from Afghan mediators over its demand for the government to release rebel prisoners, but insisted some of the hostages would be killed if that demand was not met by 3:30 a.m. EST.
The Afghan government has said that giving in to rebel demands would only encourage more kidnapping.
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That’s brilliant. Let’s just tell the Tailibastards what our next move is. Fucking MSM.
August 1st, 2007 at 6:33 amWhy did they ANNOUNCE it! They’re putting the lives of the hostages in jeopardy! Gee!!
August 1st, 2007 at 7:15 amThis is just stupid. What patt and the army did, YOU DON’T ANNOUNCE THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION. NOW we will see ALL the hostages dead. GREAT JOBS FOOLS.
August 1st, 2007 at 7:30 amAn obvious extension of the Fairness Doctrine. Wouldn’t want the good guys to have an upper hand, would we?
There’s gotta be a better word than ‘dumb’ - I just can’t think of one right now.
If these numbnuts gain control of the house, senate AND White House, we are well and truly fucked.
August 1st, 2007 at 7:56 am{Why did they ANNOUNCE it! }
that’s an easy one, they want a “democratic” for president because the msm’s f00king hate Bush (Bush is the devil)
August 1st, 2007 at 8:04 am“The Taliban could not be immediately be contacted …”
*PWWAAAHAAHAAHAAAA!* AS IF Reuters doesn’t have them on speed-dial! Give me a fucking break!
August 1st, 2007 at 9:12 am[Sorry, under the weather today … Missed this tid bit]:
“… any use of force would jeopardize the lives of the hostages …”
Oh, yeah! As opposed to … what? … shooting them in cold blood and dumping them in a desert ditch?
Gimmie an American bullet during a heated cross-fire over that of the dirty godless bastards’ … At least I know the American valued my life and would mourn my death.
August 1st, 2007 at 9:20 amTo james Hooker, the word you ar looking for is liberal…
I wish the Afghanis would turn this around, kill one of the Taliban prisoners every hour until the hostages are freed…
August 1st, 2007 at 9:22 amI’m with Brad W, but I say trade one hostage for one Taliban prisoner.
Then when all of the hostages are released, assist them on their journey to Allah. (That means bomb the hell out of them, for all of you Liberals reading along.)
August 1st, 2007 at 9:33 amOOPS.
By “them”, I meant the Taliban.
August 1st, 2007 at 9:34 amSteven D -
WE know who you were talking about … It’s the bipolar left that need things spelled out …
August 1st, 2007 at 9:46 amReuters just retracted the story. The said. “Our bad!, There is no rescue.”
If anything happens to these victims then Reuters should be sued in civil court by the victims families in Korea.
August 1st, 2007 at 9:57 amLeave the strategy to the military and the public really doesn’t need to know anything; after all, politicians don’t know what’s going on either. Seems logical however, if you are after killing a lot of ants you attract a few, stir them up and the majority start coming out of their nests then; whomp!
August 1st, 2007 at 11:14 am