Afghan government will free 900 Taliban prisoners & urges militants to extend 3-day ceasefire – Kabul

The Afghan government urged the Taliban to extend a three-day ceasefire that is due to end on Tuesday night, and announced that it would release 900 prisoners from the insurgent group later in the day.

“It is important to extend the ceasefire and, in order to avoid bloodshed, the Afghan government is ready to extend it,” Javid Faisal, the spokesman for the National Security Council, told reporters.

The Taliban announced the three-day ceasefire to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr that ends the holy month of Ramadan, Reuters said. The truce expires at midnight on Tuesday (19:30 GMT).