Afghan Prez Ashraf Ghani signs decree to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has pardoned thousands of Taliban prisoners in a key preliminary step to intra-Afghan talks between a government delegation and the extremist group, his spokesman said early on Wednesday. Ghani's move to release the 5,000 inmates marks the beginning of negotiations to end the 19 years of war that have pitted Taliban against the government in Afghanistan, Efe news reported....