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Afghanistan’s president said Sunday that he will not free thousands of Taliban prisoners ahead of all-Afghan peace talks, aiming at a provision outlined in the recently signed U.S.-Taliban deal. The Taliban later responded that it wouldn’t take part in the intra-Afghan talks unless the prisoners were released.
According to the agreement, up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners would be released by March 10, when聽intra-Afghan peace talks are scheduled to start. The Taliban would release up to 1,000 prisoners.
But Ashraf Ghani said at a news conference in the Kabul on Sunday that the United States couldn’t promise the release of prisoners, adding that the decision was one for the Afghani people. He wouldn’t release any before intra-Afghan peace talks start on March 10.
鈥淭he request has been made by the United States for the release of prisoners and it can be part of the negotiations but it cannot be a precondition,” said Ghani, who also聽called on the Taliban to “sever their ties with all terrorist groups” after the group committed to cutting ties with Al Qaeda.
The Taliban responded on Monday, with a spokesman saying militants wouldn’t take part in the intra-Afghan talks until the prisoners are released, according to Reuters.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the leader of the Taliban delegation, signs an agreement with Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan, at a signing agreement ceremony between members of Afghanistan’s Taliban and the U.S. in Doha, Qatar on Feb. 29, 2020. (Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)The proposed release of prisoners was near the top of the U.S.-Taliban agreement. “The United States is committed to start immediately to work with all relevant sides on a plan to expeditiously release combat and political prisoners as a confidence building measure with the coordination and approval of all relevant sides,” it stated.
Any Taliban prisoners released would “be committed to the responsibilities mentioned in this agreement so that they will not pose a threat to the security of the United States and its allies.”
Asked about Ghani’s comments on Sunday during an appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to the document.
“It says that we will work with all relevant parties to build on confidence, to create confidence building measures amongst all of the parties, the Afghan government, non-Taliban, and others in the Afghan. We want this to be an inclusive process,” he said.
Referencing past prisoner releases from both sides, Pompeo said the United States “will know” the identities of the militants released when asked if they’d stay off the battlefield if they’re released.
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani (C) speaks as U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper (R) and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, (L) look on during a joint news conference in Kabul, Afghanistan on Feb. 29, 2020. (Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)The United States has focused on the Taliban’s responsibility, tying the slated withdrawal of U.S. troops to efforts by the group.
“All of our decisions moving forward are conditions-based and require the Taliban to maintain the ongoing reduction in violence. If the Taliban fail to uphold their commitments, they will forfeit their chance to engage in negotiations with the Afghan government, and will not have a say in the future of this country,” Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told troops in Afghanistan last week.
The ultimate goal, he said, is to reduce the U.S. presence in Afghanistan down to zero. The initial reduction would see the troop level drop from 13,000 to 8,600.
President Donald Trump told reporters over the weekend that he’d be meeting personally with Taliban leaders “in the not-too-distant future.” He did not say where the meeting would be held and Pompeo said he wasn’t sure when or where the meeting would take place.
“I really believe the Taliban wants to do something to show that we鈥檙e not all wasting time. If bad things happen, we鈥檒l go back,” Trump said. “I let the people know: We鈥檒l go back and we鈥檒l go back so fast, and we鈥檒l go back with a force like nobody has ever seen. And I don鈥檛 think that will be necessary. I hope it鈥檚 not necessary.”
This article is from the Internet:Afghan President Opposes Aspect of US-Taliban Peace Deal