Trump thanks Qatar for ensuring release of foreign hostages

US President Donald Trump has thanked Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for the country's contribution in ensuring the release of two foreign professors kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The emir and Trump held a telephonic call on Friday in which the US president "expressed his sincere thanks" to the emir "for its active role in facilitating the release of the two hostages who were held in Afghanistan", the Qatar News Agency (QNA) said.

The phone call between the two leaders comes days after Taliban released two professors as part of a prisoner swap deal between the group and the Afghan government, under which the latter released three terrorists, including Anas Haqqani, from Bagram prison.

The exchange of prisoners emerged as the fresh hope of revival of the peace talks after weeks of the impasse. Trump last month abruptly ended the talks with Taliban citing continued attacks by the terrorist groups.

Following the exchange of prisoners. the US president dialled up various leader in the east. On Thursday, he held talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.