Taliban Says It’s Walking Away From Talks With Government Over Prisoner Release by Phillip Walter Wellman - Stars & Stripes
KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan’s fragile peace process appeared to be in danger Tuesday as the Taliban said it was breaking off talks with the government about a prisoner exchange, which is a key part of a deal the insurgents signed with the United States.
The release of prisoners by the insurgents and Kabul is one of several conditions spelled out in the U.S.-Taliban deal signed in late February, which must be met if all international forces are to withdraw from Afghanistan by next spring.
But after a week of face-to-face discussions with government negotiators, the Taliban said Tuesday they were walking away from the dialogue.
“Unfortunately, their release has been delayed under one pretext or another till now,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said on Twitter, where he also said his side was pulling out…