Taleban rebels have agreed to free 19 South Korean Christian hostages, held captive by insurgents for six weeks, after South Korea agreed to withdraw its troops and suspend missionary activities in Afghanistan.

The release of the 19 hostages will come as welcome relief to the South Korean Government, which has been under huge pressure to secure their safe return, but will be seen as a victory for the Taleban rebels after reports that Seoul also paid a ransom.

The news that the Christian group was to be freed in the coming days was confirmed by the South Korean Government. Cheon Ho-Sun, a presidential spokesman, said the group would be freed “on condition that South Korean withdraws troops by the end of the year and South Korean suspends missionary work in Afghanistan”.

The group, which initially numbered 23, was snatched as they drove from Kabul to Kandahar on July 19.

Although they were officially in Afghanistan to carry out aid work at a hospital, suspicion remains that they were also in Afghanistan to proselytise.

Two males in the group were murdered by rebels and two female members were released as a “goodwill” gesture.

The Taleban were originally demanding the release of key commanders held by the Kabul government, but Hamid Karzai, the Afghan President, ruled out such a move.

In March he drew the ire of Britain and America when he released five senior Taleban commanders in exchange for an Italian journalist kidnapped by the group.

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