Kabul, July 25: The Taliban have offered to exchange the body of a US Navy sailor they said was killed in an ambush two days ago in exchange for insurgent prisoners, an Afghan official said today.
US and NATO officials confirmed that two American Navy personnel went missing Friday in the eastern province of Logar, after an armored sports utility vehicle was seen driving into a Taliban-held area.
In a telephone interview today with The Associated Press, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the pair drove into an area under insurgent control, prompting a brief gunfight in which one American was killed and the other was captured. He said both were taken to a “safe area” and “are in the hands of the Taliban.”
Mujahid did not mention any offer to exchange the pair for Taliban prisoners. A local Afghan official said the Taliban sent a message through intermediaries offering to hand over the body in exchange for jailed insurgents.
Abdul Wali, the deputy head of the provincial governing council, said local authorities responded by saying, “Let’s talk about the one that is still alive.” The insurgents said they would have to talk to superiors before making any deal.
The photographs show one clean-shaven sailor wearing a soft cap and another with short-cropped hair, wearing a blue civilian shirt and a white undershirt.
“Our latest, accurate information reports are that they are still in the area,” said Din Muhammed Darwesh, spokesman for the provincial governor of Logar.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST