Afghanistan ? A purported Taliban spokesman said Sunday that the hard-line militia had extended by 24 hours the deadline for the Afghan government to trade captured militants for 23 South Korean hostages.

Afghan elders leading the hostage negotiations met with the kidnappers and reported that the Koreans were healthy, said Khwaja Mohammad Sidiqi, the police chief of Qarabagh district in Ghazni district, where the Koreans were kidnapped Thursday.

He said the delegation made progress in their talks, but the Afghan military said Afghan and U.S. troops had “surrounded” the region in case the government decides the military should move in.

Qari Yousef Ahmadi, who claims to speak for the Taliban, said the militants were giving the Afghan and South Korean governments until 9:30 a.m. CDT today to respond to their demand that 23 Taliban prisoners be freed in exchange for the Koreans.