President Ashraf Ghani rejects prisoner swap with Taliban

Sunday, 1 March 2020 11:06

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has rejected a Taliban demand for the release of 5,000 prisoners as part of a landmark peace deal with the US.

"The authority to release prisoners rests with the Afghan government and not the United States," he said, adding that his government will not accept the prisoner swap deal.

It comes a day after the landmark peace deal was signed to end nearly 20 years of war.

Saturday's accord was signed by US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, witnessed by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The peace accord could result in American troops leaving Afghanistan within 14 months, if the Taliban hold up their end of the deal.

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