Afghanistan postpones Taliban release

(ANSA) - KABUL, MAR 14 - The Afghan government has postponed its plan to free Taliban prisoners, a senior official said on Saturday, putting a mortgage on an already precarious peace process between the insurgents and the Kabul government.
President Ashraf Ghani earlier in the week had announced that the authorities would release 1,500 rebels as a "gesture of goodwill" before negotiations began.
Javid Faisal, spokesman for the National Security Council, then told AFP that "the release of the prisoners has been delayed" to allow for more time to review their identities. "We have received the lists of prisoners to be released. We are checking and verifying the lists, it will take time. We want guarantees that they will not return to fight," he said.