The prisoners were pardoned by Bahrain's King Hamad Al Khalifa to 'foster social cohesion', and to mark the monarch's 25th year on the throne.
![The Taliban have made sweeping gains across Afghanistan in recent days [AFP]](/sites/default/files/styles/image_156x88/public/2021-07/GettyImages-1233969888.jpg?h=199d8c1f&itok=9nnUGzas)
