A leading US church agency has renewed its call for action on urgent health services for the 1.5 million people displaced by ongoing battles between the Pakistan military and Taliban insurgents in the country’s North West region.

The United Reformed Church in Britain has condemned as “an offence against God” the assassination of Gayle Williams, a Christian aid worker in Kabul, and the chilling comments of those who killed her.

As two hostages are released today, the general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), the Rev Dr Ishmael Noko, calls on the international community to South Korea in its efforts to secure the safe release of the remaining hostages still held by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Taliban militants in Afghanistan say they have freed two women from among the 21 South Korean hostages they are currently holding, claims a news report on the BBC. Two others have already been killed.