KABUL, Apr 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Afghans welcomed the exchange of prisoners between the government and the Taliban outfit, as a step towards initiating intra-Afghan talks, to find negotiated solution to the country’s prolonged war.
The government of Afghanistan freed 100 Taliban prisoners from Bagram prison on Apr 8, and since then 361 detainees have been released, according to Javid Faisal, the spokesman for National Security Council.
“The government released 361 Taliban prisoners from Bagram prison, under the presidential decree of Mar 11. As per the decree, releases will continue across other prisons, to free a total of 1,500, as part of our efforts to advance peace,” Faisal writes in his Twitter account on Monday.
In the same manner, the Taliban outfit also set free 20 detainees of the government, and handed them over to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in southern Kandahar province, Sunday.
Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, in contact with media confirmed the report and said that, “20 soldiers of Kabul administration were freed in Kandahar on Sunday.”
Welcoming the prisoners’ exchange, an Afghan analyst, Dad Mohammad Annabi said, “The release of more than 300 Taliban detainees in Bagram and freeing 20 prisoners by the Taliban in Kandahar, could be a step towards the beginning of intra-Afghan talks.”
He also observed that, the start of prisoners swap or any other step that narrows the gap and brings the rival sides towards dialogue, deserves appreciation and should be welcomed.
The exchange of 5,000 Taliban prisoners with 1,000 Afghan security forces prisoners as a precondition for initiating an intra-Afghan dialogue is part of the U.S.-Taliban peace deal inked on Feb 29 in Doha to end the war.
“We Afghans are fed up of endemic war and civil strife. I personally support the exchange of prisoners between the government and Taliban, and am praying for the success of the process and returning lasting peace to the country,” a Kabul resident, Mohammad Hamayon, said.
Both the government and the Taliban are hopeful that the prisoners’ exchange could lead to the start of intra-Afghan dialogue, and eventually return durable peace to the war-battered country.– NNN-AGENCIES
