Nearly thirty people died and dozens more were wounded in an attack on a major prison in Jalalabad. Hundreds of prisoners reportedly escaped before being recaptured (TOLO). The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the assault, though Afghan officials said that a Taliban splinter group might have attacked the prison to stymie intra-Afghan peace talks (Washington Post).

Iraq’s government said it will compensate the families of 560 protesters and security force members killed amid anti-government protests that began in October. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s administration also announced the arrests of three security force members found to have shot into a crowd of protesters earlier this week (Al-Monitor).

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ordered the release of five hundred Taliban prisoners and is considering the release of an additional four hundred prisoners (TOLO). Meanwhile, a Taliban spokesperson announced that it completed the release of one thousand prisoners, fulfilling an obligation under a February deal with the United States. A three-day cease-fire between the government and the Taliban began today (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty).

Mahmoud Dicko, the cleric leading Mali’s protest movement, expressed confidence that the country’s political crisis can be resolved without the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The coalition organizing the protests, of which Dicko is not a member, has called for Keita to resign (Reuters). Meanwhile, a group of lawmakers said they would not step down as called for in the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) plan to resolve the crisis (Reuters).

The United States imposed sanctions on fourteen additional entities and individuals in Syria, including influential businessman Wasim al-Qattan and President Bashar al-Assad’s teenage son. The crackdown is part of a push to cut off foreign investment to Syria, weaken Assad’s hold on power, and prevent him from rebuilding the country after nine years of war (Al-Monitor).

U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is meeting with Afghan government and Taliban officials in Kabul today ahead of a cease-fire between the two sides. The Taliban announced it would release imprisoned government personnel, bringing its total released prisoners to one thousand, by the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha tomorrow (TOLO).

U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) revealed that a February U.S. air strike near Jilib, Somalia, killed one civilian and injured three others. AFRICOM’s commander said it tries to prevent civilian casualties, though rights activists have alleged U.S. operational secrecy limits accountability for such incidents (Reuters).

President Salva Kiir must reinstate thirteen judges after the East African Court of Justice ruled he violated two constitutions and a regional treaty by sacking the judges in 2017 (Daily Nation).

Iranian forces fired ballistic missiles at a dummy U.S. aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz during drills broadcast on state television. The United States put two military bases in the region on alert and rebuked the incident as an attempt “to intimidate and coerce” (BBC).

The Taliban declared a three-day cease-fire, beginning Friday, for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani directed Afghan security forces to reciprocate. The Afghan government, the United States, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) praised the step and urged intra-Afghan peace talks (TOLO)