Afghani officials will release some Taliban prisoners this week as a part of the peace deal signed between the Taliban and the USA, which aimed to bring an end to the two-decade-long war. The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, called the negotiations “good news”.
On Tuesday, a three-member Taliban team arrived in Kabul to meet with Afghani officials. The trio, according to a Taliban spokesperson, will monitor the prisoner release process and other technicalities. While the two parties have previously negotiated through video conferences, this is the first face-to-face meeting since the US-led invasion in 2001.
On Wednesday, Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban said, “One hundred prisoners will be released in the first batch, then both sides will assess whether releasing 100 per day is working out well or not.” Further, he said, “the prisoners to be released should be those whose names are on the list … that is why the technical team is there … it is not a negotiation, and there will be no political talks there.” This, he said, was the first step in the ultimate exchange of 6,000 prisoners. He added that certain technicalities, such as the provision of medical facilities to those freed, were still being discussed.
These negotiations continue amidst ongoing violence in Afghanistan. Recently, Afghani officials reported the death of 8 civilians, including children, in an landmine explosion caused by a landmine planted by the Taliban. The Taliban, however, did not claim responsibility for the attack.
Image Source: NBC News
Afghanistan-Taliban Prisoner Exchange Negotiations Begin, 100 Prisoners To Be Released
On Tuesday, a three-member Taliban team arrived in Kabul to meet with Afghani officials.
April 2, 2020
