Taliban set to release 20 prisoners: insurgent spokesmanWashington signed a key deal with the Taliban in February that promised the withdrawal of US and foreign troops from Afghanistan by next summer, provided the militants start talks with Kabul and adhere to other guarantees, including a prisoner exchange. KABUL: The Taliban on Sunday said it was set to release 20 prisoners in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar, in a potential breakthrough after the insurgents walked out of talks with the government last week. "Today, 20 prisoners of the Kabul administration will be released," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter, adding that the group would be handed over to representatives of the Red Cross. The Taliban cautioned that their decision to release a group of prisoners did not mean that the talks with Kabul were being restarted. "No the process is not back on, but this is a good will step by the [the Taliban] to accelerate the prisoners exchange process," insurgent spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told AFP.

Source: Bangkok Post April 12, 2020 07:52 UTC