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The Afghan government has released virtually all of the imprisoned Taliban members it has promised to release. Some exceptions have been made, according to the government.
A few foreign allies, Australia and France, had opposed the release of seven terrorists responsible for the deaths of Australians or French.
But the rest has been set free, and this would open the way to talks about a lasting ceasefire and peace in the war-torn country for decades.
The seven will be brought to Qatar, according to Afghan authorities. It is also planned to start talks between the government and the Taliban.
Kabul has now released the last 400 Taliban out of a total of 5,000 that would be released under US agreements with the Taliban in late February to initiate peace negotiations. The Taliban have released 1,000 prisoners as agreed.
The Afghan government is not enthusiastic about the peace talks. These are mainly the result of the policy of US President Trump, who wants to end almost 20 years of struggle.
It has become the longest war ever for the United States since the 2001 invasion. Washington has made agreements with the Taliban in Qatar, and the Afghan government was outside it.
But many Afghans do not trust the Taliban as a discussion partner. The Taliban have exercised a reign of terror in the years 1996 – 2001 and want to make the country an authoritarian Islamic state.
They are extremist Sunnis, mainly of the Pashtun population group (Pashtun) from the east and south. This is the largest population group, but not the majority in the country. He fears a new reign of terror.
