KABUL: An Afghan Taliban spokesman says four remaining Turks held by the militant group will be released shortly, without offering further details.    

A Monday email statement from Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said the recent release of another four Turks was intended as a ''goodwill gesture'' and ''soon'' the remaining four Turks still in their possession would also be freed.

He did not make any reference to the Afghan translator and two pilots - one from Russia and one from Kyrgyzstan - who were captured along with the eight Turks when bad weather forced their helicopter to make an emergency landing in the Taliban-stronghold of eastern Afghanistan's Logar province on April 21.

On Sunday Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency said the freed Turks were taken to the Turkish Embassy in Kabul.