The UN appealed today to the Taliban-linked kidnappers of three of its staff in Afghanistan to release them in time for a Muslim festival starting this weekend.
Militants claiming to hold the three foreigners, including Ms Annetta Flanigan from Co Armagh, say the Afghan government has agreed to free 26 of their jailed comrades as part of a prisoner exchange.
However, officials have yet to confirm any deal with the kidnappers, who also say they want to free the hostages by Eid, the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
The three - Ms Flanigan, Philippine diplomat Angelito Nayan, and Shqipe Hebibi of Kosovo - were abducted at gunpoint in Kabul on October 28th, stirring fear among the capital's 2,000-strong expatriate community that Afghan militants were copying the tactics of insurgents in Iraq.
"These are the longest fourteen days in the lives of Lito, Annetta, Shqipe, their families, their friends and their colleagues," a UN spokesman Manoel de Almeida de Silva said.
"We hope that the spirit of peace and understanding shown by all during Eid will be extended" to the hostages.
A Kosovo businessman claimed yesterday he had reached a deal for the release of the captives.
AP