France Notes Taliban Hostage Demands

France said it was aware of an ultimatum by Taliban guerrillas to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan within a week.

France said on Friday it was aware of an ultimatum by Taliban guerrillas to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan within a week, and was currently studying the claim posted on an Arabic-language Web site.

"We have taken note of the indications which figure on the Taliban website," Foreign Ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei said in a statement.

"We are analysing them. We will make no further comment," he said of the Taliban ultimatum, which also demanded the release of fighters held by the Afghan government to save two kidnapped French aid workers.

(Reuters)