Afghanistan says has freed 900 militants since US-Taliban deal

The Afghan government says it has released more than 900 Taliban prisoners since the militant group signed a deal with the United States.

"So far 933 Taliban detainees have been released from Afghan jails," Javed Faisal, spokesman for Afghanistan's National Security Council, told media outlets on Thursday.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the militant group, in return, have released 132 government prisoners.

Under the deal signed on February 28, the Taliban agreed to halt attacks in return for Washington’s phased withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan and a prisoner exchange with the government in Kabul.

The insurgents promised not to strike forces from the US-led coalition but made no such pledges toward Afghan troops.

The Afghan government, which was excluded from the talks and thus was not a signatory to the accord, is required to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners. It has however reduced the number to 1,500 before its talks with the Taliban start. The militants are obliged to free 1,000 pro-government captives in return.

The prisoner swap has been meant to be a prelude to peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

The two sides have been negotiating for months to finalize the prisoner swap to pave the way for intra-Afghan peace talks, but the negotiations have not been smooth.

The agreement was supposed to lay the groundwork for a peace process in the war-ravaged country but the Taliban militant group has already rejected a government offer of a ceasefire for the duration of Ramadan to help focus on efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

Afghan officials have instead reported a surge in violence across the country, further stalling efforts to launch talks between the Taliban and the government.

SS