KABUL, Aug 1 (Reuters) - All the remaining 21 South Korean hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan were alive on Wednesday, an insurgent spokesman said, despite the expiry of a deadline.

"Yes, they are alive," Qari Moahmmad Yousuf told Reuters by telephone from an unknown location.

He said no operation had started to rescue the captives, but there had been signs of increased troop movement in the area in the last 24 hours.

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