Taliban says ready to start peace talks within a week of prisoners' release

After Afghanistan government agreed to release Taliban prisoners, the insurgency group has said that it will start the intra-Afghan peace talks after a week of the release of their fighters from jails. According to reports, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen, while talking to the press said that the group is ready to hold peace talks with the government within a week after their prisoners are released. As per reports, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani will sign the decree later in the day, which is being watched closely by many, including the United States and other international stakeholders. 

Read: Afghanistan Govt Agrees To Release 400 Taliban Prisoners To Start Peace Talks

400 Taliban hard-liners to be freed

Afghanistan on August 9 agreed to release some 400 Taliban hard-liners from government prisons across the country in hope of starting the peace talks with the fundamentalist organisation. According to reports, Afghanistan's grand assembly, also known as Loya Jirga, approved the release of the prisoners. Taliban had earlier demanded the release of its fighters as a condition before starting the peace talks with the Afghan government. The condition was put forward by the Taliban spokesperson before signing the historic peace-deal with the United States in Doha this year. 

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The Afghanistan assembly in its resolution said that the Loya Jirga is approving the release of the prisoners in order to remove the obstacle and start the peace process to end the bloodshed in the country. A Taliban spokesperson while talking to the press hailed Afghanistan assembly's decision calling it a positive step. The peace talks aimed at ending the 19-year-long war in the country, which according to the United Nations has claimed the lives of over 34,000 civilians to date. 

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