After three years hostage: Taliban release two Western professors

As part of a prisoner exchange with the Afghan government, the radical Islamic Taliban released two Western hostages.

The two kidnapped professors, Kevin King from the US and Timothy Weeks from Australia, were released in the Naubahar district of Sabul province and flown out by US Army helicopters, local police said.

King's family confirmed the release of the two professors. King is now with representatives of the US authorities and receive medical care and further support, it said in a statement. He is preparing for his return to the USA. The King family also welcomed the news that Timothy Weeks had been released.

In return, the Taliban demanded the release of three high-ranking militia representatives as soon as possible. Among them is Anas Hakkani. His older brother is the deputy chief of the Taliban and head of the Hakkani network. The Afghan authorities accuse Anas Hakkani of playing an important role in the network as well.

President Ghani hopes to restart talks

Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani agreed last week to release the three Taliban officials "under conditions". He hopes that the prisoner exchange would "pave the way" for the establishment of informal, direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, Ghani said.

It was not clear when and where the three Taliban representatives would be released. Ghani had suggested that they could possibly be released outside of Afghanistan.

King and Weeks both taught at the American University of Afghanistan. They were abducted in Kabul by men in military uniform in August 2016. Later, the Taliban published a video with the two professors, who had a strong impact on it. Her university was relieved to hear about her release.