Afghan prisoner releases ‘important step’: US

The US special envoy who negotiated a deal with the Taliban said yesterday that an initial prisoner exchange between the insurgents and the Afghan government was an "important step" toward peace. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Taliban on Sunday released 20 Afghan security-force prisoners. The move came after the government last week released hundreds of insurgent captives. "The release of prisoners is an important step in the peace process and the reduction of violence," US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said on Twitter. "Both sides should accelerate efforts to meet targets specified in the US-Taliban agreement as soon as possible," he added.

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