Afghanistan frees 80 key Taliban insurgents

KABUL, Afghanistan

In a major development, the Afghan government freed at least 80 key Taliban figures to pave the way for direct peace talks, an official confirmed Friday.

National Security Council spokesman Javed Faisal told Anadolu Agency that the 80 Taliban prisoners, who were on the government’s black list for serious offenses, were freed last evening from the Pul-e-Charkhi Prison in the capital Kabul.

“They were amongst the 400 Taliban inmates the Loya Jirga [grand consultative body of Afghan elders] authorized the government to release,” he said.

President Ashraf Ghani last week pledged to release the remaining 400 prisoners as part of efforts to start direct talks with the Taliban. He said this while addressing the closing ceremony of the Loya Jirga that called on the government to ensure the inmates' release.

“Now, the Taliban have a choice. Today, the Taliban must demonstrate they are not afraid of a comprehensive cease-fire. There is no great bravery required for war, but for peace,” he said.

At the extraordinary moot, over 3,000 public figures from across the country backed the government’s calls for a permanent cease-fire and international guarantees that the insurgents would not resort to violence again and commence intra-Afghan talks.

The event caught global attention as it was held amid ongoing peace negotiation between the Taliban and the US.

The US State Department said it would consolidate national support for peace in Afghanistan and determine the fate of the remaining Taliban prisoners, which was a major obstacle to starting the intra-Afghan talks.

“We understand that they will decide on the expeditious release of the remaining Taliban prisoners from their list, the last obstacle to the start of intra-Afghan negotiations,” it said in a statement.

Downplaying the status and need for the Loya Jirga, the Taliban demanded that all hurdles in the way of peace be removed.

“It is imperative that all sides understand the need of this time and refrain from creating obstacles for the present opportunity,” the group said in a statement last Wednesday.