Afghan ceasefire holds as hundreds of Taliban fighters freed, no major clashes reported

As Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered the release of 317 Taliban prisoners, a ceasefire between the two parties appears to be holding for the third and final day.

According to international media reports, the Afghanistan government has released nearly 317 militant prisoners since July 31, which also happened to be the beginning of Eid al-Adha. The officials have not reported any major clashes between the two sides since the truce began to mark the Muslim festival. 

As calm prevailed across much of Afghanistan, Ghani and Taliban have both reportedly indicated that long-delayed negotiations could begin post Eid. The release of the prisoners was ordered back in July under a deal signed by the Taliban and the United States. However, because of political infighting in Kabul and a prisoner swap issue, the ‘intra-Afghan’ talks were delayed. 

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According to the deal signed earlier, Kabul was asked to free around 5,000 Taliban prisoners in return for 1,000 Afghan security personnel who were held captive by the militant group.

Now that Afghanistan newly released nearly 317 militant prisoners, the country’s National Security Council is reported to have said that the total of Taliban prisoners freed from Afghan custody has reached 4,917 prisoners. On the other hand, the Taliban says that it has freed all 1,000 Afghan prisoners it had pledged, fulfilling their side of the exchange. 

READ: UN Chief Welcomes Ceasefire In Afghanistan Ahead Of Eid

Afghan govt hesitant to release 400 inmates 

Meanwhile, it is believed that the order of 317 prisoners being released by the Afghan government is not the part of the original list of 5,000 prisoners demanded by the militant group and were freed as a goodwill gesture.

As per reports, the Afghan government has already released 4,600 of those prisoners, however, the officials hesitate to release the remaining 400. 

As per reports, the Afghan President on Friday said that he had ‘no authority’ under the country’s constitution to release the reaming inmates because of their involvement in serious crime. He also added that he would soon call a consultative Loya Jirga, which is a traditional grand assembly of Afghan elders, to decide their fate. 

(Image Credits: AP) 

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