Taliban release 235 hostages in northern Afghanistan: official

The Taliban released 235 hostages from a village in a remote area of northern Afghanistan where it allegedly massacred around 50 civilians along with Islamic State insurgents, an official said today.
"This evening 235 people including women and children were released from Mirzawalang as a result of mediation by the local elders and provincial officials," Zabihullah Amani, a spokesman for the provincial governor, told AFP.
"They have been safely evacuated to Sar-e Pul city, but there are still an unknown number of people being kept hostage there," he added.