(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-08-11 23:54

KABUL, August 11 -- Two female South Korean hostages were freed by the Taliban on Saturday night, a purported Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi said.

The two hostages were free now and staying in Ghazni province, Ahmadi told Xinhua from an undisclosed place, adding they were in good condition.

They were freed as the Taliban leadership wanted to show a " good gesture" toward South Korean authorities, he said.

The Taliban wanted to accelerate the talks on 21 South Korean hostages by releasing the two females, he added.

Several South Korean diplomats and two Taliban delegates, who are Mullah Bashir and Mullah Nasratullah, carried out first face- to-face talks on the hostages on Friday and Saturday in Ghazni city, the capital of Ghazni province.

The Taliban said the two delegates were sent to the government- controlled city for the talks as Afghan authorities gave a written guarantee for their safety.

A total of 23 South Koreans were kidnapped by Taliban militants on a road in the central Ghazni province on July 19.

Taliban rebels killed two male hostages on July 25 and July 30 separately to press Afghan and South Korean authorities to meet their demands. The others were still being held by Taliban militants.

The Afghan government has refused to release Taliban prisoners as the Taliban demanded to exchange for the hostages.