US 'may use force' to free hostages

The US is prepared to use force to free 21 South Koreans held hostage in Afghanistan by the Taliban, officials in Washington have said. Richard Boucher, the US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs, told reporters on Thursday that military action was one of "many tools" available to resolve the crisis.

"There are things that we say, things that others say, things that are done and said within Afghan society as well as potential military pressures," said Boucher. "All pressures need to be applied to the Taliban to get them to release these hostages."

Hamid meeting

Boucher was speaking ahead of a visit by Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, who will meet George Bush, the US leader, at Camp David over the weekend.