Afghan President Ghani vows to expedite release of Taliban prisoners

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday said that the process of the release of Taliban prisoners would be expedited.

Afghstan President Ashraf Gh on Sunday said that the process of the release of Taliban prisoners would be expedited.

"As a responsible government we want to move one more step forward: I am announcing that the release of Taliban prisoners will be expedited and we call on the Taliban that they also expedite the release of the security and defense prisoners," Gh was quoted as saying by TOLOnews on the occasion of Eid.

"The winner of peace will be the Afghan people. War brings destruction and misery, especially for Afghan women who suffer the most," Gh added.

On Saturday, the Taliban said that it would cease fire for three days to honour the Eid al-Fitr holiday.

Gh welcomed the group's decision and said he had ordered the Afghan National Defense Security Forces to comply with the truce that took effect on Sunday.

According to the Afghan government, the President's negotiating team is ready to begin intra-Afghan negotiations as soon as possible.

The United States and the Taliban signed a peace deal in February this year with the aim of withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghstan and the launch of intra-Afghan peace talks, subject to a mutual exchange of prisoners.

( With inputs from ANI )