Taliban ready for Afghan peace talks after prisoner release completed

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, left, addresses the Loya Jirga, a grand assembly of Afghan elders, which agreed to release about 400 Taliban prisoners. (Press Office of President of Afghanistan/AFP)

• ‘Our stance is clear, if the prisoner release is completed, then we are ready for the intra-Afghan talks within a week’

KABUL: The Taliban said Monday they were ready to hold peace talks with the Afghan government “within a week” of a contentious prisoner exchange being completed.
“Our stance is clear, if the prisoner release is completed, then we are ready for the intra-Afghan talks within a week,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said, adding that the first round of talks will be held in Doha, Qatar.
Thousands of prominent Afghans on Sunday agreed to the release of about 400 Taliban prisoners accused of serious offenses, overcoming a key hurdle in starting negotiations.