Taliban frees two hostages held since 2016 in exchange for three top Taliban figures who were released by Afghan govt and flown to Qatar
Anas Haqqani, a senior leader of the Haqqani network, arrested by the Afghan Intelligence Service in Khost province is seen in this handout picture released on October 16, 2014.
The release of American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, both professors at the American University in Kabul, comes one week after President Ashraf Ghani announced that Afghanistan would free three high-ranking Taliban prisoners in an apparent swap that he hoped would help jumpstart peace talks.
There was no immediate comment from the US embassy in Afghanistan. Afghan officials in Kabul said they would release a statement shortly.The Afghan government's decision to carry out the swap is seen as key to securing direct talks with the militants, who have, until now, refused to engage with what they call an illegitimate "puppet" regime in Kabul.
"Soon after their release, they were flown to Doha and handed over to the political office in Qatar."
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