Taliban Confirms ‘Successful’ Exchange of Prisoners

Taliban confirms prisoners exchange, calling it a step forward in “good-will and confidence-building measures” that can help the Afghan peace process.

In a statement, released late on Thursday, the insurgent group confirmed the releasing of Anas Haqqani, Mali Khan, and Hafiz Abdul Rashid.

Taliban has “successfully” released the two foreign university professors and ten Afghan soldiers, the statement added. The militant group thanks the government of Qatar for facilitating the process.

Earlier today, the U.S. officials confirmed that American Kevin King, 63, and Australian Timothy Weeks, 50, who were abducted by the Haqqani Network in Kabul in 2016, were freed.

On November 12, President Ashraf Ghani announced that Taliban’s top three commanders have been “conditionally released” in exchange for the two professors from American University of Afghanistan (AUAF).

Later on, Ghani’s Spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said the swap didn’t happen, because Taliban couldn’t deliver on their promises.

The U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, John Bass, said this week that the Taliban prisoner exchange process suspended following the attacks in Logar and Kabul provinces on November 12 and 13.

By Hesamuddin Hesam