Ghani calls on Taliban to join talks as ‘all obstacles removed’

President Ashraf Ghani said Thursday that the Afghan government has removed obstacles on the path to peace, and called on the Taliban to call a permanent ceasefire and sit around the negotiating table with the Afghan government.

In a video message to the Afghan security forces on the occasion of Afghanistan’s 101st independence anniversary, Ghan said a “fair and enduring” peace is due to come in the country as the government has made a huge effort to bring peace to Afghanistan.

“We have opened the way for a fair peace. In this regard we have not only shown our will and commitment but also we have taken practical steps toward achieving that; Taliban prisoners release and conveying consultative peace Loya Jirga are notable instances of our efforts,” Ghani said.

“We yearn for peace in which our youth engaged in building their country. We will bring a peace that all ethnicities of Afghanistan could live together in peace and security and strive for the excellence and progress of the country.”

Meanwhile, the Afghan peace process seems to have stalled once again as the government on Wednesday suspended the controversial release process of 320 “hard-core” Taliban prisoners, a process which has been a stumbling block in the peace talks process over the past few months.

Sediq Sediqqi, the Presidential spokesman, told Ariana News that the government will not release the remaining Taliban prisoners unless the group frees 22 Afghan security force members they are holding captive.

This comes after the government released 80, of what was initially a group of 400 prisoners, from Pul-e Charkhi prison in Kabul following a presidential decree to pardon and release them.

Last Monday’s decree, signed by President Ashraf Ghani, was the result of a Loya Jirga, or grand council, which voted in favor of the insurgents’ release following two days of consultations.

The process has however raised concerns and Australia and France have also publicly called on the government to not release all 320 prisoners – some of whom are guilty of having killed their nationals.

Meanwhile, reliable sources from the Afghan government Wednesday told Ariana News that the process would be suspended until the United States has reached an agreement over six of the Taliban prisoners involved in insider attacks, the so-called green-on-blue attacks, with Australia and France.