Afghanistan has released three Pakistani soldiers it had captured during cross-border fighting last October, Afghanistan’s spokesman said Tuesday, in a move he tied to the start of Ramadan. Zabihullah Mujahid said the soldiers—captured during fighting on Oct. 12—were turned over to a Saudi delegation that mediated between the two sides and then traveled to Kabul on Monday.
Mujahid said Afghanistan decided to release the three prisoners in anticipation of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and reflection. The statement did not provide further details about where the soldiers would return or any follow-up arrangements between Kabul and Islamabad.
The release comes amid strained relations that have persisted since deadly clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in October. The fighting erupted after explosions in Kabul on Oct. 9, which the Taliban government blamed on Pakistan, and it said it vowed to avenge the blasts.
During the October fighting, the violence was described as the worst between the neighbors in recent years, with dozens of soldiers and civilians killed and hundreds wounded on both sides. Both governments also blamed each other for aspects of the fighting and related incidents during that period.
After a ceasefire mediated by Qatar, tensions eased, but later peace talks in Istanbul did not produce a definitive agreement. Pakistan had not issued immediate comment on the release of the three soldiers by the time of the report.