The first indication of the hijackers' demands came several hours after the Afghan plane was hijacked.

Reports say they want the release of Ismail Khan -- a leading commander close to the ousted President Burhanuddin Rabbani.

Ismail Khan is from the north-western province of Herat.

He fought the Soviet forces during their occupation of Afghanistan -- and became Governor of Herat and neighbouring provinces when the pro-Moscow government of President Najibullah was overthrown.

In 1994, the Taleban captured the north-western provinces.

Islamil Khan lost his power base and his governorship, and fled across the border to Iran.

It was three years later, during a secret trip to north-western Afghanistan to continue his struggle against the Taleban militia that Ismail Khan was captured.

He has been in jail in Kandahar -- the main Taleban stronghold -- since then.

Further details of the continuing hijack are difficult to put together, but the hijackers' demand seems to suggest that their sympathies lie with the northern-based opposition in Afghanistan.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service