Kabul: 98 Taliban fighters have been released from government detention in a recent step of prisoner release.

Javed Faisal, Spokesman of the National Security Council, said Sunday the fighters with bad health condition, older people and those whose serve term is near to end were released.

President Ghani ordered the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners and the militants in return have vowed to free 1,000 government officials held in their custody.

Faisal emphasized that the release of Taliban prisoners was part of government’s efforts for peace as well as for fight against Corona virus.

Meanwhile, Taliban announced that they had released 40 government employees in Kunduz province.

The prisoner exchange was part of the Taliban-US peace agreement signed on February 29.

The government has so far released around 600 Taliban prisoners and the insurgents have freed 100 government inmates.

Separately, the US Special Envoy for Afghan Peace, Zalmay Khalilzad called for an acceleration in the prisoner swap, warning that intensifying of Taliban attacks endangered Kabul’s efforts for peace.

http://www.afghanistantimes.af/govt-releases-98-more-taliban-prisoners/