Hostages in Afghanistan: Paris does "not pay attention to our requirements," say the Taliban

The French government "is not paying attention" to the requirements of the Taliban to release the two French journalists hostage since they retain a year, said one of their spokesmen Saturday, accusing the two journalists to be spies. Despite many optimistic statements from French authorities, the hostages began Thursday its second year of captivity, a particularly long period in such cases.

In a video sent in April, the Afghan Taliban had threatened to kill the two journalists and their escorts if Paris did not get, especially in Kabul and Washington, the release of prisoners in exchange for their release. "IF PARIS WAS ACCEPTED, THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED "We presented our conditions and our requirements a year ago the French government in exchange for the release of French hostages.

These requirements are very simple and very easy to complete, but unfortunately they don have not paid much attention to our conditions, "said the Zabihullah Mujahid. If the French authorities "had accepted our terms, they (the hostages) have already been released," continued the spokesman, calling the French government as "irresponsible" and refusing to disclose the conditions.

The spokesman also said the two journalists from France 3, Hervé Ghesquière and Stephane Taponier, were captured because they were engaged in espionage in an area controlled by the Taliban. "They were 'detained' for two reasons: first, they have not contacted us (...) and had visited the area without our permission," he said.

"Second, there were still collecting information that kept intelligence. The information and documents we found on them, suggesting they were trying to collect intelligence." The two journalists and their three Afghan guides were abducted Dec. 30, 2009 at about sixty miles east of Kabul, in the volatile province of Kapisa and mountainous.

A party of French troops from the NATO force (ISAF) are stationed in the area, a presence that gives their abduction by a local Taliban group a political and complicated negotiations.

• Marking Anniversary of French Journalists' Captivity (30/12/2010)
• West quickly agreed to back Afghan resistance in 1980 (30/12/2010)
• 2 French Reporters Held Captive In Afghanistan For One Year (29/12/2010)
• France receives video of hostages in Afghanistan (20/12/2010)
• Ex-Taliban Trainee Warns of Female Bombers (31/12/2010)

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