The Afghan government and the Taliban have agreed on a prisoner exchange, which Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says aims to “facilitate direct peace negotiations.” The swap will free American professor Kevin King and Australian professor Timothy Weekes. Both had been professors at the American University of Afghanistan before being kidnapped in Kabul in 2016. In exchange, the Afghan government will free three senior Taliban members: Anas Haqqani, Hafiz Rashid and Haji Mali Khan.