KABUL (SW) – President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said at the closing session of the consultative Loya Jirga that he would soon sign a decree to free remaining 400 Taliban prisoners.
Addressing the closing ceremony, he hoped the Loya Jirga's decision to release 400 Taliban prisoners would make up for the years of war and ensure lasting peace. Ghani also pledged to issue an order for the release of those security forces who had been imprisoned for negligence of duty.
On the second day of the Jirga, a request was made by the members of the grand moot for the release of the security personnel as well.
"The embrace of the Afghan people and the republic is large enough to accommodate the Taliban," Ghani said in part of his speech.
Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the Consultative Loya Jirga, called the move by the Jirga as an "historic decision." Abdullah said the Loya Jirga's decision was a "good one" for Afghanistan. He also praised the Afghan security forces in part of his speech, saying that the security forces thwarted major dangers and conspiracies aimed at the Jirga.
Former President Hamid Karzai called on the Taliban to end the war and start direct talks with the Afghan government at the closing session of the Loya Jirga.
All is set for former head of the NDS, Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, head of the Afghan government's negotiating team, to begin talks with the Taliban negotiating team after the decree on the release of 400 Taliban prisoners is signed, the former president said.
ENDS
