Afghan's reluctance to release Taliban's gruesome fighters delaying peace talks: Report

After Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said he will ‘expedite’ the process of releasing Taliban prisoners, sources of an international agency have revealed that Western nations are supporting Kabul in its denial free hundreds of those inmates who are accused of some of the most violent attacks. Release of prisons held by the Afghan government is demanded by the extremist group as a condition to start peace talks and is mentioned in the US-Taliban peace deal. While the Afghan government has already released hundreds of Taliban prisoners, it has kept hold of some of them who are accused of gruesome crimes. If this final major point that has halted the intra-Afghan talks is resolved, it could lead to an end of over 18-year-old war. 

An international media agency quoted two European officials, one Asian and Afghan official calling the prisoners issue as the ‘contentious part’. One European diplomat said that the list of prisoners that the Taliban has demanded to be freed includes some ‘dangerous’ fighters. Moreover, releasing them from Afghan prisons, according to the official is, ‘literally crossing a red line’. In the ‘momentous’ peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban in February the extremist group asked for 5,000 of its fighters to be released. The initial refusal of the Afghan government to fulfil the demand has delayed the intra-Afghan talks for several months. Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has again stressed on June 18 that all 5,00 demanded in the list must be release to kickstart the peace talks.

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Afghan govt released prisoners

According to an international media agency, Afghan government has till now released over 3,000 Taliban inmates and in exchange, the extremist group has also freed Afghan officials. A day after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani pledged to speed-up the process of releasing Taliban prisoners, Afghanistan freed at least 100 inmates from the insurgent group to mark the Eid al-Fitr celebrations. Afghanistan’s National Security Council spokesperson Javid Faisal informed the international media that 100 Taliban prisoners have been released from the Bagram prison and the government plans on freeing at least 2,000 prisoners as a “goodwill gesture” after both sides agreed on a temporary ceasefire. 

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Inputs: Agency/ Image: AP