Security and Diplomacy
The Afghan government is resisting freeing the final batch of 5,000 prisoners whose release was demanded by the Taliban as a condition to start peace talks.Majority of prisoners released by Taliban and Kabul administration.
Additionally, the Americans and their allies agree that it would not be feasible to let some of the most dreaded Taliban fighters walk out freely. The Afghan forces arrested them for conducting some of the most heinous crimes against humanity according to a senior Western diplomat in Kabul.
The main points of the Afghan peace deal
Moreover, the Prisoners\’ release is the basic point of the US-Taliban peace deal signed on 29th February 2020. Taliban and Afghan government both agreed on the release of prisoners as a confidence-building measure for Intra Afghan dialogue. Now, the Kabul administration is denying release of the last batch of prisoners citing severe criminal charges on them. Taliban political office spokesperson Suhail Shaheen announced the release of remaining prisoners before Eid al-Adha as a goodwill gesture by Taliban head. He urged Kabul administration to release remaining Taliban prisoners as part of the Doha agreement.
https://twitter.com/suhailshaheen1/status/1288548951034081280
Release of 300 prisoners by Kabul administration
On the other hand, Kabul administration has responded by releasing 300 prisoners on the third day of Eid. It was also the last day of the ceasefire. Taliban head Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada announced cease-fire as a gift for Eid celebrations. American state minister Mike Pompeo and special envoy for Afghanistan welcomed the ceasefire along with Kabul administration. During ceasefire days most of Afghanistan observed peace. However, bombing in the Pul-e-Alam area of Logar and a jailbreak in Jalalabad occurred. But Taliban spokesperson denied any involvement in both incidents.
Kabul administration has so far released 4,917 prisoners. Diplomats are devising new solutions for remaining prisoners.
Other option on the table
An Asian diplomat said Khalilzad had presented a range of proposals, including the option of moving them to a jointly guarded facility. He said other ideas put forward were releasing the prisoners without publicly announcing it, agreeing to release prisoners shortly after negotiations start, or persuading the Taliban to compromise on the most contentious prisoners. According to a news report by Reuters.
Taliban are insisting on prisoner release as per the signed agreement citing completion of prisoner release promised from their side.
