4 Sep

The Afghan government says it has released around 5,000 Taliban prisoners in order to start ceasefire talks with the militant group.

In line with a peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban in February, both the Afghan government and the Taliban have been releasing prisoners detained by each side.

Multiple sources from the government told NHK that around 5,000 Taliban fighters and others have been released. However, it says it will decide whether to release the remaining few after consulting with its international partners, as those prisoners were allegedly involved in serious crimes such as murder.

The Taliban said they have released all prisoners they held and are demanding the government release their prisoners as soon as possible.

Under February's agreement, the Afghan government was to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners, while the Taliban were to free 1,000 government and military personnel before they launched peace talks.

However, battles between the two sides continue across Afghanistan. Attention is focused on whether both sides can make further concessions to realize long-awaited peace negotiations.

NHK