Three UN workers abducted almost three weeks ago in Afghanistan are probably being held by criminals and not by a Taliban splinter group that has threatened to kill them, the Interior Ministry said today.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lutfullah Mashal
But the Taliban faction Jaish-e Muslimeen (Army of Muslims) insisted it had the hostages and said its council would meet today to decide whether to issue a new deadline on its demands, behead the hostages, or free them.
Interior Ministry spokesman Lutfullah Mashal said it did not believe the militants had the hostages - Ms Annetta Flanigan from Northern Ireland, Kosovan Ms Shqipe Hebibi and Filipino diplomat Mr Angelito Nayan - but they may be in contact with the kidnappers.
"You can tell by the deadlines and the demands which keep being broken and relaxed," Mr Mashal said. "We think they are being held by some armed robbers who abducted them. Our reports suggest that the hostages are still in or around Kabul.
"We don't think that Jaish has control over them -- they are just a small group trying to make publicity."
The three were snatched from their vehicle in central Kabul by gunmen in camouflage on October 28th after helping run a presidential election won by US-backed incumbent Hamid Karzai.
While there has been speculation the hostages were not held by the militants, the Interior Ministry had declined to comment or give details of efforts to free them. The government had said it was investigating whether the kidnappers had "internal" help.
Jaish leader, Akbar Agha, insisted his men held the three. "These people are with Jaish," he told Afghan Islamic Press. The group had been demanding 26 Taliban prisoners in return for the hostages, but has gradually relaxed its demands and successive deadlines have passed.
A Jaish commander, Mullah Sabir Momin, said most of his group opposed compromise. "Today the differences have come out in the open. We want a specific deadline after which the three would be beheaded. A final decision can be taken today, or tomorrow."