Story highlights

It's unclear whether the seven have been released

The U.S. has tried to help soothe tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan

The reconciliation process with the Taliban has also suffered some setbacks

Islamabad CNN  — 

Pakistan said Saturday it is releasing seven Taliban figures to facilitate a peace process with neighboring Afghanistan.

“These releases are in addition to 26 Taliban detainees released during the last year,” the foreign ministry said.

It was unclear whether the seven had already been released.

In April, U.S. secretary of state, John Kerry, brought together Afghan and Pakistani leaders to help soothe tensions between the two countries and try to breathe life into the reconciliation process with the Taliban.

With the majority of U.S. troops set to leave Afghanistan next year, the Obama administration hopes to achieve a peace deal between the nation, the Taliban and Pakistan.

But the Taliban have not appeared interested in a deal and competing agendas from neighbors such as Pakistan have made an agreement elusive.