The Taliban would release another seven South Korean hostages soon today, said a Taliban delegate Mullah Bashir? .

Bashir, who had been engaged in direct talks with South Korean officials, said the hostages would be handed over to officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross through a tribal elder within hours in Arzo village near Ghanzi city, the capital of Ghazni province.

Earlier today, Taliban militants freed three female hostages, and they have arrived in Ghazni city and met South Korean officials.

The Taliban and South Korean authorities reached an agreement?yesterday, which said all 19 South Korean hostages would be released in the coming days without the release of Taliban prisoners.

In return, the South Korean government promised to withdraw all its 200 troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year, and to forbid all Christian activities in this country.

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

Taliban rebels shot dead two male hostages on July 25 and July 30 separately to press Afghan and South Korean authorities to meet their main demand, which was the release of some Taliban prisoners.

Two female hostages were released on Aug. 13 as the Taliban claimed it wanted to show "a good gesture" toward South Korean authorities.

The Afghan government has all along refused to release Taliban prisoners as the Taliban has demanded to exchange for the remaining 19 hostages.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2007)