Afghanistan to release 1 Haqqani network, 2 Taliban terrorists in prisoner swap

The Afghan government will release two Taliban terrorists and a top member of the Haqqani network group in a swap to free an American and an Australian professor held by the Taliban, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Tuesday.

"We have decided to conditionally release three Taliban prisoners who were arrested outside the country with the help of our international partners and have been in Bagram prison in the custody of the Afghan government for some time," Sputnik quoted Ghani as saying.

Anas Haqqani, a leading member in Haqqani network group and senior Taliban members - Haji Mali and Abdul Rashid - are the three prisoners being released by the government in exchange for the release of two lecturers of the American University of Afghanistan, reported the Khaama Press.