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Atmar says no law allows release of remaining 600 prisoners from Taliban list
Acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar says 4,400 Taliban prisoners have been released to the date, but the remaining 600 Taliban inmates demanded by the group “will not be released.”
In his latest remarks, Atmar said that the Afghan government has asked the Taliban to provide a new list instead of the controversial 600 prisoners.
He added that another 600 prisoners will be released after the list is handed over to the government, noting that the Taliban must show goodwill for talks between Afghans.
“The Afghan government has released 4,400 Taliban prisoners to start intra-Afghan talks, but 600 of them will not be released because no law allows them to be released,” said Mohammad Hanif Atmar, acting foreign minister.
The Acting Foreign Minister says that all countries in the region and the world call for Intra-Afghan talks to be held immediately and since Taliban prisoners have been released, there is no excuse for delaying the start of talks.
Mohammad Hanif Atmar added: “Countries in the region and the world believe that the rate of war has risen for the people of Afghanistan and the world, and now they have reached a consensus that peace can be equally beneficial to all.”
Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry announced Germany’s readiness to host intra-Afghan talks.
“In a telephone conversation with his Afghan counterpart, the German Foreign Minister assured his country of its readiness to host talks between Afghans on the condition that the parties reach an agreement,” said Gran Hiwad, a spokesman for MFA.
The Taliban, on the other hand, say that the first round of talks will be held in Doha and that they will have no problem participating in the next round in any country.
The Acting Foreign Minister said that the government is working to obtain the consent of the Taliban in cooperation with other countries and to reach a consensus that can ensure negotiations and the support of the region and the world.
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IEA leaders contact Maulana Fazlur Rehman to express condolences over Sheikh Idris’s death
According to a statement issued by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUI-F), senior leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) contacted JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to express condolences following the killing of prominent religious scholar Sheikh Muhammad Idris in Charsadda.
The statement said that the callers included Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
According to JUI-F media cell, the Afghan leadership expressed sorrow over Sheikh Idris’s death and prayed for his elevated status. They also strongly condemned his killing and said they share the grief of the bereaved family and religious community.
The statement further added that the Islamic Emirate expressed solidarity with JUI-F, religious scholars, and students, and said that the people of Afghanistan share the grief of the Pakistani people over the incident.
Sheikh Idris, a senior member of JUI-F was shot dead by armed motorcyclists in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda on May 5, while he was traveling to a madressah. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack.
Hundreds of former U.S. officials are calling on Washington to cancel a reported plan to relocate Afghan refugees from Qatar to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In an open letter addressed to the U.S. State Department, more than 600 former civilian and military officials, along with around 100 organizations, urged the administration to stop the proposed transfer. The letter was sent to Marco Rubio.
The signatories argue that the Afghan nationals in question were brought to Qatar by the United States to complete legal immigration procedures after undergoing extensive security vetting. The letter states that while the individuals were cleared for resettlement in the United States, they are now being considered for relocation to Congo, a country for which they were never screened.
“Those individuals were vetted and approved for the United States, not for the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the letter reads.
According to the report, more than 1,100 Afghan allies and their family members are currently being held at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar under U.S. supervision. Around 800 of them have already completed all security checks and received authorization to travel to the United States. More than half are women and children, and many have remained in transit limbo for over 15 months.
The situation has drawn criticism from former officials and policy observers, who describe the proposed relocation as a betrayal of Afghan allies who supported U.S. missions and risked their lives during the war in Afghanistan. Critics also warn that the move could damage U.S. credibility with future partners.
Several members of the U.S. Congress had previously expressed opposition to the proposal, cautioning that it could significantly undermine trust in the United States among its allies.
Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s former special envoy for Afghanistan, has said that no country should interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, stressing that it is up to Afghans themselves to bring about any change in their country.
In a post on X, Durrani said Afghans should be “left to their own devices” and that they would eventually “find the way out” of their challenges.
However, he warned that instability inside Afghanistan could have negative consequences for neighbouring countries, adding that Afghan leaders and their supporters should take responsibility to address such risks.
Durrani described his remarks as a simple expression of goodwill and best wishes for the Afghan people and their future.
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