Taleban kidnapper 'dies in clash'

South Korea denied paying a ransom to free the hostages

One of the Taleban fighters who masterminded the kidnapping of 23 South Koreans in July has been killed, Afghan officials say.

The police chief in Ghazni province said that Mullah Mateen was one of a number of Taleban killed in fighting against Afghan and foreign troops.

The Taleban say that the dead men were all civilians.

Twenty-one of the Koreans, who were Christian aid workers, were released and two killed by the Taleban.

There has been no independent confirmation of the death of Mr Mateen.

Elsewhere in the country police said three of their number were killed by two suicide bombs.

Two of the victims in the relatively peaceful northern province of Kunduz, and one in the volatile south-eastern province of Paktika.

Those who died in Kunduz included a district police chief. The Taleban say that as many as six policemen were killed in Paktika.