Taliban rejects Afghan President's offer to release 1,500 insurgent prisoners

The Taliban yesterday rejected Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's offer to release 1,500 insurgent prisoners ahead of peace talks, saying it wanted 5,000 captives freed before opening negotiations.

 

Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen told media that the prisoners should be released as a trust-building measure before intra-Afghan talks. He said any changes would amount to a violation of the deal struck



between the Taliban and the US in Doha last month.

Shaheen's announcement came hours after Afghan government issued a decree saying the government would release 1,500 captives starting Saturday, but only if the insurgents cut violence. A spokesperson of President, Ashraf Ghani has said on Twitter that another 3,500 prisoners would be released after talks started.