An Ariana Afghan Airlines (AAA) plane takes-off while the hijacked Indian Airlines plane sits on the tarmac at Kandahar airport in southern Afghanistan December 29. Over 150 hostages continue to be held on the Indian Airlines plane. India on Wednesday described the standoff with hijackers of an Indian Airlines jet as "a battle of patience" and said it had given an "appropriate response" to their latest demands for the release of 35 militants and a ransom of $200 million.

MP/PB