Hundreds of Taliban Fighters Are Freed

KABUL, Afghanistan —  The interim Afghan government released hundreds of captured Taliban fighters Saturday, a gesture of reconciliation as the new administration focuses on rebuilding a country shattered by decades of war.

Associated Press said that 320 soldiers were released, while the Reuters news agency reported a figure of about 270.

In a brief speech before shivering prisoners lined up in the bitter cold outside the presidential palace, interim Prime Minister Hamid Karzai told the men to go back to their homes.

“Instead of using guns, work and earn money,” he said.

All of the men were in civilian clothing. Most appeared desperately poor and wore sandals or cheap plastic shoes. One wore plastic bags on his feet instead of socks.

Karzai said the men were “innocent conscripts,” but he gave no details about when or where the men were captured. Most of the men appeared to be speaking Pashto with accents from the area of Kandahar, the Taliban spiritual heartland.

“I ask you to serve your country,” Karzai said. “Go, go. Goodbye.”

Karzai did not say how many Taliban members are still being held but vowed that captured soldiers who were not in command positions would be released.

One of the prisoners demanded to know when the other fighters would be freed.

“Our other friends are in prison,” he called out to Karzai. “What will you do with them?”

“We will release all the prisoners,” Karzai replied.

Each freed soldier was given about $15, or about two weeks’ salary for a civil servant.

In January, 300 Taliban members also were freed, some of whom had been held for as long as five years by the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.