By Yu Zhixiao, Zabi Tamanna

    GHAZNI, Afghanistan, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 South Korean hostages were released by Taliban militants in Afghanistan on Wednesday after a six-week ordeal, with seven others expected to get freedom in the upcoming days.

    A Xinhua reporter saw a local tribal elder handed the third batch of three female and one male hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Qarabagh district of the central Ghazni province.

A newly freed South Korean hostage rests in a vehicle of the Red Cross International in Ghazni, southern Afghanistan, Aug. 29, 2007. South Korean government said late Wednesday that another four South Koreans were released in Afghanistan. (Xinhua/Zabi Tamanna)
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    The hostages soon would be transferred to Ghazni city, the capital of Ghazni province.

    Earlier Wednesday, eight hostages had been freed. The first group of three female hostages was handed over in Qalaqazi area of Ghazni province to officials of the ICRC from a local tribal elder, who received the hostages from the Taliban.

    South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Hee-yong said the three are identified as Ahn Hye-jin, Lee Jung-ran and Han Ji-young.

    The second group of four female and one male hostages were freed in Shabaz area of Ghazni province.

    The ministry said the five are Ko Se-hoon, 27, Lee Sun-young, 37, Lyu Jung-hwa, 39, Lee Ji-young and Lim Hyun-joo.

    These eight hostages have arrived in Ghazni city and met South Korean officials there.

    UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a South Korean national, welcomed a newly reached agreement between the Taliban and South Korean authorities and called for all hostages to be freed quickly.

    He said he used all possible measures, including holding talks with leaders in Afghanistan and other countries, to help secure the hostages' release.

    The Taliban and the South Korean government made a deal on Tuesday, which said all 19 South Korean hostages would 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 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 refused to release Taliban prisoners as the Taliban has demanded to exchange for the remaining hostages.

    Taliban militants have carried out kidnappings in Afghanistan over the past two years frequently, and some hostages were killed.