Among them was a Taliban leader who was recently released under the US-brokered peace deal with the Afghan government, as confirmed by the Afghan National Directorate of Security.

Last February, the Taliban and the Afghan government reached a landmark agreement, mediated by the United States in the Qatari capital of Doha, paving the way for peace talks.

Among other things, the deal stipulated the release of each other's prisoners — 5,000 Taliban by Kabul and 1,000 government affiliates by the radical group.