'Talks progressing over fate of UN hostages'

Militants threatening to kill three UN hostages claimed today that talks to swap them for jailed comrades were progressing, even as an American general urged a tough line against the kidnappers. st week in police custody had been tortured.

Armed men seized Philippine diplomat Angelito Nayan, British-Irish citizen Annetta Flanigan and Shqipe Hebibi of Kosovo on October 28, the first such abduction in the Afghan capital since the fall of the Taliban three years ago.