Afghanistan's Ashraf Ghani Releases 35 Taliban From Jail As Goodwill Gesture - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th August, 2019) A total of 35 insurgents from the Taliban Islamist movement were released from jail in Afghanistan on the occasion of Eid al-Adha holiday by a special decree of President Ashraf Ghani, local media reported on Monday.

The Afghan National Directorate of Security (NDS) released 35 Taliban inmates from jail based on a presidential decree issued on the occasion of Eid al-Adha as a gesture of goodwill to help advance the reconciliation, the Khaama Press news agency reported citing the NDS statement.

The directorate also urged the released individuals to refrain from cooperating with what they called enemies of peace and stability in Afghanistan, the report added.

For almost two decades, Afghanistan has suffered instability due to continuous insurgency of the Taliban movement and Islamic State terrorist organization (banned in Russia). With the question of intra-Afghan talks still unresolved, the government forces conduct regular counterterrorist operations across the country.