The World : Afghanistan Frees 1,300

Afghanistan released 1,300 political prisoners, the first group to be freed under an amnesty declared by Afghan leader Najib in January, the Soviet news agency Tass reported from Kabul. Tass said the prisoners were released during a political rally in the Afghan capital. The amnesty is part of Najib’s policy of national reconciliation aimed at ending the eight-year-old war in Afghanistan. The Afghan government’s unilateral cease-fire that went into effect Jan. 15 has largely fallen apart, with both the rebels and the government continuing combat.