April 13 (The Killid Group) — U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation has welcomed the prisoner swap by the Afghan government and the Taliban, calling it an important step in the peace process and reduction in violence.
“Welcome the release of prisoners by both the Afghan government and the Taliban. The release of prisoners is an important step in the peace process and the reduction of violence,” tweeted Amb. Khalilzad on Monday.
“Both sides should accelerate efforts to meet targets specified in the U.S.-Taliban agreement as soon as possible. The potential for COVID-19 outbreaks in prisons poses a real threat and is all the more reason to move urgently,” Khalilzad added.
Earlier on Sunday [April 12], the Taliban released 20 government inmates and handed them over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in southern Kandahar province days after the Afghan government freed the Taliban prisoners in line with the peace deal between the Taliban and the U.S.
According to Javid Faisal, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, so far the Afghan government has freed 361 Taliban prisoners as a part of peace process.
Earlier, the Taliban insurgents pulled their technical team out of talks blaming the Afghan government for the delay and needlessly wasting time.
Afghan officials, however, have blamed insurgents for insisting upon release of 15 notorious Taliban commanders convicted for large scale attacks, and were believed to be a serious security threat.
But Suhail Saheen, the Taliban spokesperson, issued a denial saying that under the U.S.-Taliban pact signed on 29th of February, those 15 prisoners were also among 5,000 jailed Taliban to be freed in exchange for 1,000 Afghan prisoners.
Under the accord, the United States and the Taliban are committed to work expeditiously to release combat and political prisoners as a confidence-building measure, with the coordination and approval of all relevant sides.
The agreement calls for the release of up to 5,000 jailed Taliban prisoners who were set to be released in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan government captives by March 10, but the process was delayed due to several reasons.
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