The Taliban on Thursday accused South Korea of breaking a promise not to send troops to Afghanistan after it released 19 Korean hostages two years ago, warning its forces to face the consequences.
Seoul decided this week to deploy 350 troops to Afghanistan next July — two years after it pulled out a 220-strong contingent of military engineers and medics in return for the release of Korean hostages.
At the time, South Korea said the pullout was already scheduled.
"They had promised to withdraw their troops from Afghanistan and committed never to send soldiers to the country in future," the Taliban said in a statement written in English and emailed to journalists.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan notifies… South Korea that if they anyway send troops to Afghanistan and violate their commitment, then they should be prepared for the consequence of their action which they will certainly face."
The Taliban kidnapped 23 South Korean church volunteers while they were travelling between Kabul and the southern province of Kandahar in July 2007.
The militants shot dead two and released another two amid negotiations for their release, before finally freeing all of the mostly young women.
The insurgents had demanded the withdrawal of Korean troops from Afghanistan in return to the release of the hostages.
The South Korean government said 350 troops, backed by helicopters and 140 reconstruction workers, will be based in Parwan province just north of Kabul for 30 months from July 1 next year.
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