Hundreds of Taliban prisoners freed

KABUL, Afghanistan (AFP) — A ceasefire between the Taliban and Afghan government appeared to hold for the third and final day on Sunday, 2 August, with hundreds of militant prisoners released in a bid to bring peace talks closer.

Calm prevailed across much of Afghanistan, with officials not reporting any major clashes between the two foes since the truce began on Friday to mark the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.

President Ashraf Ghani and the Taliban have both indicated that long-delayed negotiations could begin straight after Eid.

The rare respite from violence gave some Afghans the opportunity to safely visit relatives for Eid celebrations after long periods apart.