The Taliban said yesterday they would recapture an Italian hostage released to tribal elders if the Afghan government refused to meet their final demand.

Earlier, the insurgents said La Repubblica reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo and his translator had been freed in southern Afghanistan after Kabul released two of three rebels from jail. The Taliban want the third freed as well in exchange for the reporter?s unconditional freedom.

Italy?s government said, after the alleged release, it still had no reason to believe that Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo has been freed. ?We have seen reports that he has been handed over to a third party of tribal chiefs. That is not a liberation,? the government spokeman told Reuters. ?He has probably been handed over to people who have the task of verifying whether certain conditions have been met and whether to free him or not,? the spokesman added. He said the situation regarding Mastrogiacomo remained ?very delicate.?