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Gov’t begins release of final batch of Taliban prisoners
The Afghan government has begun releasing the final batch of 400 controversial Taliban prisoners, a step advancing to the start of intra-Afghan negotiations.
The government freed 80 prisoners out of 400 “hard-core” inmates on Thursday from Pule Charkhi jail in Kabul, Javid Faisal, a spokesman of the Office of the National Security Council (ONSC) confirmed.
On Monday, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani signed a decree to pardon and release the 400 Taliban inmates.
The government agreed to release the prisoners after Ghani called for a Loya Jirga, or grand council, which voted in favor of the insurgents’ release following two days of consultations.
“The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan yesterday released 80 Taliban convicts out of the 400 that the Consultative Loya Jirga sanctioned for release to speed up efforts for direct talks and a lasting, nationwide ceasefire,” Javid Faisal said.
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan yesterday released 80 Taliban convicts out of the 400 that the Consultative Loya Jirga sanctioned for release to speed up efforts for direct talks and a lasting, nationwide ceasefire. https://t.co/3sALowcngz
— Javid Faisal (@Javidfaisal) August 14, 2020
In footage shared by the ONSC, the Taliban prisoners admitted that they were involved in organized crimes including murder and kidnapping.
“I was imprisoned for being a member of the Taliban and charged with murder, and I want a lasting ceasefire and peace in the country,” Mohammad Sharif a freed Taliban prisoner told Ariana News.
Mohamad Anwar, another released inmate said, “I was imprisoned for kidnapping. I call on my elders to bring an enduring peace in the country.”
The move was as a part of the US-Taliban deal which was signed in Doha, Qatar, on February 29 in order to start the intra-Afghan negotiations.
This comes as US-brokered intra-Afghan peace talks were scheduled to start in Doha next week.
However, the Afghan negotiating team, led by Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, has not left Kabul for Doha.
Meanwhile, a member of the team says that they would leave Kabul for Doha in the middle of next week.
Ghulam Farooq Majrooh, a member of the negotiating team meanwhile stated: “The delegation has made all the preparations and it will travel to Doha in the middle of next week.”