BBC News Online: World: South Asia

Moves towards Afghan PoW swap

The warring sides in Afghanistan say they have agreed on the first step towards a large-scale prisoner exchange.

Officials said representatives from the ruling Taleban and the opposition would visit each other's jails to list and identify those held.

The Taleban and their opponents in the northern alliance are thought to be holding several thousand prisoners.

Both sides agreed to an exchange of prisoners during peace talks in Saudi Arabia last month, although no date was set.

Arrangements for the exchange are expected to take several months.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service