KABUL prisoners’ release plan remained unchanged so far.
Javed Faisal, NSC spokesman, wrote on his Twitter account that the rest of 320 remaining Taliban prisoners would be released once 22 Afghan commando forces were freed as part of the prisoner exchange process between the government and the rebels.
As part of the Feb. 29 peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban, Kabul freed 5,000 Taliban inmates and, in return, the militant movement released 1,000 government soldiers.
On the first day of EidulAdah, President Ashraf Ghani suggested convening the Loya Jirga to decide the fate of the 400 prisoners on a Taliban list handed to his administration.
The Loya Jirga approved the release of the 400 Taliban prisoners who, the government says, are involved in high-profile attacks.
The Afghan government has so far released 80 of them but later stopped the process after France and Australia objected to their release.
President Ashraf Ghani talked with his French counterpart over the prisoners’ release on Friday.
Australian Ambassador to Afghanistan also talked with NSC advisor Dr. Hamdullah Mohib over the Taliban prisoners.
But Abbas Stanekzai, the Taliban Qatar office leadership member, said the rebels had not killed the French and Australian soldiers but were killed by Afghan security forces who then joined the Taliban’s ranks.
He said they had released all 1,000 government prisoners based on the Qatar peace pact.
On the other hand, Suhil Shaheen, Taliban Qatar Office spokesman, tweeted that they held no Afghan commando forces captive.
But National Directorate of Security (NDS.
Pk/ma
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