The release of Taliban prisoners by the Afghanistan government paves the way for long-delayed peace talks in the troubled region, according to a BBC report.
The release of the last 400 Taliban prisoners – 80 were set free on Thursday – was a condition to begin negotiations to end 19 years of conflict in the country. The report said the prisoners include some 44 insurgents who were of particular concern to the United States and other countries for their roles in high-profile attacks.
Peace talks were expected to start in Qatar within days of the full release.
Afghanistan’s Office of the National Security Council said in a tweet that release was ‘to speed up efforts for direct talks and a lasting, nationwide ceasefire’.
This followed a meeting of the Afghan grand assembly of elders at the weekend, which approved the release of the 400 Taliban prisoners accused of ‘major’ crimes. The authorities had initially refused to free the militants.
However, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani warned on Thursday that the release of the prisoners was a ‘danger’ to the world, according to an AFP report.
The BBC noted that the Taliban, who were removed from power in Afghanistan by a US-led invasion in 2001, had gradually regained its strength to control more territory than at any point since that time.
[Picture: Amber Clay from Pixabay]