Kabul, Mar 23 (IANS): The Afghan government announced that it has considered releasing a number of inmates in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the country.

The Presidential Palace in a statement said on Sunday that in the next 24 hours a plan will be drafted for the release of "prisoners and detainees", reports TOLO News.

The head of prisoners affairs, Ahmad Rashid Totakhil, said in the statement that the decision was made in a meeting with President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday.

He said those who have committed security-related crimes will not be released.

"A number of inmates will be released because of the emergency situation... There should be categories in order to prevent a security problem to the society," Totakhil said.

"Taliban and those who have committed crimes against national and international security are not included."

A spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, Jamshid Rasuli, said that the process will be conducted transparently.

"Thorough work is underway," Rasuli said.

So far, 40 cases of the coronavirus and one death have been confirmed in Afghanistan.