Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday rejected a Taliban demand for the release of 5,000 prisoners as a condition for talks with the Afghan government and civilians. The clause has been included in the peace deal signed between the US and Taliban. Taliban prisoners would be released in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan government captives, the clause said. His remarks come against the backdrop of the difficulties US negotiators face in shepherding the Afghan government and Taliban towards intra-Afghan negotiations.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday rejected a Taliban demand for the release of 5,000 prisoners as a condition for talks with the Afghan government and civilians. The clause has been included in the peace deal signed between the US and Taliban. Taliban prisoners would be released in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan government captives, the clause said. His remarks come against the backdrop of the difficulties US negotiators face in shepherding the Afghan government and Taliban towards intra-Afghan negotiations.