KABUL, Afghanistan—The Afghan government released hundreds of Taliban prisoners May 26, its single largest prisoner release since the United States and the Taliban signed a peace deal earlier this year that spells out an exchange of detainees between the warring sides.
The government announced it would release 900 Taliban prisoners as a three-day cease-fire with the insurgents draws to an end. The Taliban had called for the truce during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
