Twenty-eight of prisoners released recently by the Taliban had been taken after the group signed a peace deal with the United States in late February, the Afghan government said on Saturday.
Under the deal with US, the Taliban committed to release 1,000 Afghan government prisoners in return for 5,000 of their prisoners.
The government has released 361 prisoners while the Taliban has freed 60.
Javid Faisal, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s National Security Council, said that 10 out of 20 prisoners released by the Taliban in Kandahar were civilians, including four minors that it kept in detention for years.
He also said that only nine of the 40 people released in Laghman were security forces.
According to Faisal, 12 members of Afghan Local Police who deserted to the group less than a month ago were also among those released. He said that they will be charged under the law.
“Taliban must uphold their end on prisoners by releasing ANDSF personnel from the list that the government has given them,” Faisal said.
“They must also stop capturing and torturing civilians and minors. They must release all civilians in their custody immediately and commit to a ceasefire.”
