Afghanistan's Taliban said today it plans to abduct and kill more nationals from foreign countries whose troops serve under Nato and the US military in the country.
South Korean hostages released last week. The Taliban has vowed to kidnap more nationals from countries whose troops serve under Nato and the US in Afghanistan.
The vow comes just days after the Taliban released 19 South Korean hostages after their government struck a deal that critics said sets a dangerous precedent that could spur more kidnappings.
"We consider it [kidnapping] as an arm that can help us in imparting a blow to the enemy," a Taliban spokesman said
"Kidnapping . . . and killing of (nationals) of those countries who have come for the annihilation of the nation of Afghanistan are works which suppress the enemy," he added.
He said the Islamic movement would not target nationals from foreign countries that have no troops in Afghanistan.
Under the deal agreed last week, South Korea said it would pull its civilian nationals from Afghanistan by the end of August and withdraw its 200 troops working as doctors and engineers by the end of the year. The troop pullout was already planned.
The Taliban dropped its central demand for the release of jailed insurgents.
A senior Taliban commander said the deal also included a ransom payment of more than $20 million, which would be used to buy weapons and fund suicide attacks.
Both the South Korean government and the Taliban spokesman denied a ransom was paid.