ISLAMABAD, Dec 20 Kyodo Taliban r...

ISLAMABAD, Dec 20 Kyodo

Taliban rebels who kidnapped couple Indian engineers in Zabul in southeastern Afghanistan forward Dec. 6 have proposed a swap of their hostages for 50 Taliban members held in Northern Alliance prisons, Afghan Islamic Pres reported Saturday.

The Pakistan-based of the present days agency quoted Haji Baaz Muhammad, security chief of the Shah happiness district in Zabul as saying the administration has received sum of two units letters, one from the kidnappers proposing the swap and the inferior from the engineers stating they are in healthy health and being treated well through their kidnappers.

He added the prisoners whose releases are sought do not appear to be senior members of the Taliban.

The literal sense from the kidnappers has been forwarded to the Kabul command and the letter from the engineers to the Indian company that uses them in Afghanistan.

The engineers were kidnapped Dec 6 at Pashkanda forward the border between Zabul and Ghazni provinces while working to repair the Kabul-Kandahar highway, part of the Afghan reconstruction program.

Muhammad said the kidnapped engineers are in the custody of couple Taliban commanders operating in mountainous areas in the north of province.

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