JALALABAD (SW) – President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday linked release of the Taliban prisoners as conditional to the insurgents breaking ties with neighboring Pakistan.
Addressing a public gathering in Nangarhar province, Ghani said the Taliban should not peddle others’ policies, and respond positively to the calls for true peace.
He said the proposed 5000 Taliban prisoners would not be released, but discussed in the proposed direct talks with the insurgents. President Ghani said the delegation for proposed talks with the Taliban would be under the Kabul government, inclusive with limited authority.
However, the Taliban have announced to resume attacks on the Afghan forces after end of a week-long Reduction in Violence (RIV) week over the weekend. Taliban spokesman, Suhail Shaheen, has said they did not meet with the Afghan delegation travelling to Doha. ‘Only officials from their prisoners’ commission will meet with govt officials in charge of prisons so 6k prisoners are exchanged before the negotiations’, he tweeted.
Earlier this week, President Ghani said there is no commitment by the government to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners.
The US-Taliban peace accord says 5,000 Taliban prisoners must be released before the intra-Afghan talks begin.
Addressing a press conference, President Ghani reiterated that the U.S. has no executive authority to release the Taliban prisoners, and only the Afghan government can decide on it. He added that the U.S. will play a facilitating role in this process.
President Ghani emphasized that the release of prisoners could be included to the agenda for intra-Afghan talks, but it would not be a prerequisite for such talks. Ghani also said the Taliban's position would be determined after the talks and the Taliban should become a political entity. Within ten days after the peace deal is signed, the talks will begin, Ghani said.
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