Taliban prisoners’ release could lead to talks
KABUL, Afghanistan — President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday said his government would release a last batch of Taliban prisoners, removing the final hurdle in the way of direct negotiations with the insurgents to end the country’s long war.
His announcement came after a consultative assembly where he had been advised by thousands of representatives from across the country.
The release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners, which the United States agreed to in a February deal with the insurgents that also began the phased withdrawal of U.S. troops, faced opposition from the Afghan government, which is holding the prisoners.
After prolonged pressure from the Trump administration, Ghani released 4,600 prisoners from a list provided by the Taliban, but called for consultations of over 400 whom he said were accused or convicted of major crimes, including murder, that were beyond his authority to pardon.
At the start of the consultative assembly Friday, more than 3,000 delegates crammed themselves under one tent in Kabul despite fears of the coronavirus.
Ghani said his government was at a crossroads.
“The Taliban have said that if the 400 prisoners are released the direct talks between our negotiating team and the Taliban will start three days later,” he said in his pitch to the delegates, seeking their advice. “In the meantime, they have threatened that if they are not released, not only they will continue their war and violence but they will escalate it.”
On Sunday, after two days of deliberations spread across more than 50 committees, the assembly released a declaration calling for the release of the prisoners.
The mood in the hall was often tense. One delegate, a member of parliament who carried a sign that read, “Giving into Taliban bullying is treason,” was pushed out of the hall and tackled by a staff member when she resisted.
Ghani said he would sign the decree Sunday freeing the 400 prisoners.
“We faced a choice, and our decision was made easier today,” he said.
In a statement presented to the participants of the assembly, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Taliban had committed to beginning direct negotiations after the prisoners are released and had pledged to reduce the level of violence during the talks, during which a permanent cease-fire will be discussed.
“The United States intends to hold the Taliban to these commitments,” Pompeo said.
On Saturday, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan would be reduced to below 5,000 before the end of November, down from a little over 12,000 at the time of the agreement’s signing in February.
Suhail Shaheen, the spokesman for the Taliban negotiating team, said once the 400 prisoners were released they “don’t see any hurdle” to beginning talks.