Two South Korean women held captive by the Taleban since mid-July have been released in Afghanistan today.

The insurgents handed over two of their 21 hostages to the Red Cross after they had endured 25 days in captivity. It is thought that both had been suffering from illness.

Kim Kyung Ja and Kim Ji Na's release came on the fourth day of negotiations between the South Korean Government and Taleban leaders in Ghazni province, where 23 Korean evangelical missionaries were abducted on July 19.

It is unclear what the Korean officials offered in return for the release and whether the goodwill gesture signals a deal to set the remaining captives free.

Mullah Qari Bashir and Mullah Nasrullah, Taleban negotiators, were controversially allowed safe passage to the city of Ghazni by the Afghan authorities in order to hold talks with a South Korean government envoy.

Two male hostages have already been shot dead during a complicated negotiation process that has seen conflicting demands from the militants and disagreements between the Korean Government and the Afghan authorities.

The release of some hostages early is said to be extremely unusual in negotiations with the Taleban.

The women were delivered to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ghazni by one of the village elders who have worked to broker a deal with the Taleban.

After three weeks held hostage, they broke down in tears when they saw the Red Cross officials. One of the women reportedly said she was in good health.

“The Afghan Government is very keen not to be seen to deal with the Taleban, but they’ve given them safe passage to Ghazni so that has weakened their position,” said Tim Albone, The Times correspondent in Afghanistan.

“For the first time in three weeks the South Koreans have got the Taleban to agree on something, so that is hugely positive – until now they have won no concessions at all.”

An alleged earlier attempt by Seoul to pay a ransom to the Taleban ended in failure and did not help to ease relations with the Afghan Government, who do not want the insurgents to create a lucrative kidnapping industry.

Afghan officials would have preferred to launch an armed raid on the Taleban to free the hostages. Twice the South Korean Government has blocked rescue missions planned by the Afghan and US military.

One plot was to involve the secret police arresting family members of the Taleban officials in a bid to increase the pressure on the insurgents.

The Afghan authorities are extremely nervous of being seen to acquiesce to any of the insurgents’ demands. International condemnation followed a government decision in March to release Taleban prisoners in return for the freedom of an Italian hostage.

Marajudin Pathan, the governor of Ghazni province, imposed a ban on the media covering Taleban announcements, after an impromptu press conference on Saturday’s developments attracted global interest.

It was the first time since the fall of the Taleban government in Afghanistan that members of the group have been able to address the media freely.

“The Taleban will take advantage and show off, so we don’t want to give them that chance,” Mr Pathan said. “This is a terrorist group.”

Nineteen South Koreans remain in the hands of the Taleban and the South Korean Government refuses to make any further comment until they are all released.

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