The intra-Afghan talks will be started three days after the completion of the prisoners’ swap between the Afghan government and the Taliban, sources within the Afghan government have said.

The State Ministry on Peace Affairs on Thursday said that consultations are moving ahead about the release of the controversial Taliban prisoners and the release of the Afghan government hostages held by the Taliban.

“Following this issue (completion of prisoner swap) and after the release of the hostages of the Afghan security and defense forces kept with the Taliban, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan will enter into dialogue with the Taliban group,” said Najia Anwari, a spokeswoman for the State Ministry on Peace Affairs.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also said that talks are underway with Australian and French authorities about the release of 6 Taliban prisoners.

“The talks which were carried out today and yesterday by the minister of foreign affairs were aimed to keep them informed and seek their positive views about peace in Afghanistan,” said Geran Hewad, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“This is the responsibility of the US to convince its partners,” said Mawlavi Qalamuddin, a former Taliban official.

“Those who are responsible for the peace process do not see it with the peace perspective, they see peace as a means to further their personal agendas,” said Omar Zakhelwal, the former Afghan ambassador to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon in its quarterly report to the US Congress has said that the Taliban have not cut ties with the Al Qaeda network.

But the Taliban has rejected the report and said that such reports can put the peace process in jeopardy.