Kabul officials meet Taliban members in Qatar to discuss prisoner swap

Afghan officials met Taliban members in Qatar on Friday to discuss a prisoner swap plan. The meeting in Doha was part of crucial confidence-building mechanism between the warring sides, two senior government officials in Kabul said.

The Taliban wants the release of over 5,000 detainees before launching direct negotiations with Kabul for a permanent ceasefire, a stumbling block in efforts to end the war.

The meeting came ahead of the US and Taliban deal that will set the timeline for the withdrawal of American troops who have been fighting in Afghanistan for 18 years.

A senior Taliban leader in Doha said both sides were working on “different angles” to overcome differences overa possible prisoner swap, Reuters reports. The Afghan delegation, however, has no authority to agree to such an exchange. It will consult and report back to the Afghan president, according to officials.