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AFP
Kabul
Afghan authorities said Thursday they have offered the Taliban a choice to submit a new list of 592 prisoners after Kabul refused to release inmates the militants demanded to be freed ahead of peace talks.
Under the terms of a US-Taliban deal, Kabul pledged to free some 5,000 Taliban prisoners in a swap that would see the insurgents release around 1,000 Afghan security force captives.
However, Afghan authorities have refused to release 592 Taliban prisoners who face serious criminal charges, officials said.
They include people charged with murder, highway robbery, stoning of women and even sodomy, as well as hundreds of foreign fighters.
“They are too dangerous to be released,” a government official told AFP on Wednesday.
But on Thursday, National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Javid Fasial said the Taliban can submit a new list of 592 prisoners.
Kabul
Afghan authorities said Thursday they have offered the Taliban a choice to submit a new list of 592 prisoners after Kabul refused to release inmates the militants demanded to be freed ahead of peace talks.
Under the terms of a US-Taliban deal, Kabul pledged to free some 5,000 Taliban prisoners in a swap that would see the insurgents release around 1,000 Afghan security force captives.
However, Afghan authorities have refused to release 592 Taliban prisoners who face serious criminal charges, officials said.
They include people charged with murder, highway robbery, stoning of women and even sodomy, as well as hundreds of foreign fighters.
“They are too dangerous to be released,” a government official told AFP on Wednesday.
But on Thursday, National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Javid Fasial said the Taliban can submit a new list of 592 prisoners.
