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Western aid workers reported safe

American Dayna Curry is one of the eight Western aid workers being held in Afghanistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A Canadian humanitarian aid worker said Sunday that Taliban officials reassured him the eight Western aid workers they are holding in Afghanistan on charges of proselytizing are healthy and safe.

Canadian Relief Foundation worker Fadil Dulman told CNN that the Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said he can visit the workers Tuesday.

Dulman said, "I was told to give this message: They are healthy and safe, the whole team."

He added that he sent the group food Sunday.

MORE STORIES People in the News: Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry

The Taliban have held the aid workers -- four Germans, two Americans and two Australians -- since August after they were charged with trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.

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They are members of Shelter Now International, a German relief agency that provided food and homes to the Afghan poor.

The Taliban offered to release the aid workers this month if the "United States stops its mass propaganda of military action against the people of Afghanistan," the group said in a statement.

The Bush administration repeated its position that the United States would not negotiate with the Taliban.

Dulman said U.S. bombing has made it difficult for relief agencies to get food to about 15,000 families who have fled Kabul to the surrounding districts, some in very cold weather.

"If we don't get food to the mountain areas before November 15, I could really see thousands and thousands of Afghans would die," Dulman said.

He called for a pause in the bombing so that aid workers can distribute food to the outlying areas.