Taliban halts talks with government over prisoner release

Taliban broke off talks with the Afghan government Tuesday on prisoner swap negotiations, according to Suhail Shaheen, spokesman for Taliban's political office in Doha.

“We sent a technical team of the Prisoner’s Commission to Kabul for verification and identification of our prisoners as release of prisoners was to start as per the signed agreement and the promise made (to us). But, unfortunately, their release has been delayed under one pretext or another till now. Therefore, our technical team will not participate in fruitless meetings with relevant sides starting from tomorrow”, - tweeted.

Afghan authorities and Taliban officials agreed to begin exchange of prisoners on April 2

US and Taliban inked a peace deal in the Gulf state of Qatar on Feb. 29 and the agreement required the Afghan government to free 5,000 Taliban prisoners, in exchange, the Taliban agreed for direct peace talks with the government besides releasing 1,000 Afghan security forces prisoners.

On March 11, Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani issued a decree to gradually release 5,000 Taliban inmates on parole.