Afghan government delays release of prisoners

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan government Saturday postponed the release of 1,500 Taliban prisoners, an Afghan official said, a decision that could sabotage a peace deal signed last month between the Taliban and the United States.

Jawed Faisal, spokesman for the Afghan National Security Adviser's office, said the releases were being delayed because more time was needed to review the list of prisoners. The move comes despite President Ashraf Ghani's decree a few days ago romising the start of the releases Saturday as a good will gesture to get intra-Afghan negotiations started.

The U.S.-Taliban deal was touted at the time as the best chance at ending Afghanistan's endless wars and bringing U.S. troops home after nearly 19 years.

There was no response from the Taliban to the delayed prisoner release.