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Shaheen: The number of prisoners released by the gov’t is conflicted
Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen has said that the government has released less than 2,500 prisoners while claiming the release of 3,000.
According to him, the government has so far released only 2,284 Taliban prisoners, to be exact.
Shaheen added that the release of prisoners had to be transparent, and there should not be any flaws in the process.
Meanwhile, Jawed Faisal, the spokesman for the National Security Council, said that 1,000 Taliban prisoners had been released before Eid-ul-Fitr.
According to him, on the occasion of the Eid, the president announced the release of 2,000 Taliban prisoners, out of which, 1,000 were released over Eid holidays.
Reportedly, in the past three days, the government has released 710 Taliban prisoners and another 290 are expected to be added to the number, bringing the total of the released prisoners to 3,000.
Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban member, said that according to some credible sources, some drug traffickers had also been released among the Taliban prisoners.
According to the government, civilians are included among the over 400 prisoners released by the Taliban and were claimed as men of the government.
The government’s negotiating team has been urging the Taliban to start the Intra-Afghan negotiations soon.
Farooq Majrooh, a member of the government’s negotiating team, said that some countries were ready to host the talks and that the government and the Taliban had to agree on a specific location as soon as possible.
On the other hand, the High Council of National Reconciliation, which is responsible for advancing the peace talks, has announced working on the structure of the council.
Fawzia Kufi, a member of the government’s negotiating team, stressed that women should leading roles in the High Council for National Reconciliation.
The release of 2,000 Taliban prisoners came to an end on Sunday, but the government has said nothing about future steps in the matter; however, the Taliban’s technical team to verify the detainees is still in Kabul.
Earlier, sources told Ariana News that the Intra-Afghan talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban will begin between 10th and 15th June – no official acknowledgment has been made though.
The government hopes that the release of prisoners could lead to starting the Intra-Afghan talks and a reduction in the level of violence; while the Taliban insist on the release of all 5,000 prisoners as a precondition to the talks.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
The Islamic Emirate has announced that it will not participate in the upcoming meeting of special envoys of regional countries on Afghanistan, scheduled to be held in Tehran, despite having received an invitation.
In a statement, Zia Ahmad Takal, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Islamic Emirate has maintained continuous and active engagement with all regional countries through various organizations, regional formats, and bilateral mechanisms, achieving notable progress in promoting mutual understanding and regional cooperation.
The statement added that Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes regional cooperation should be advanced by strengthening existing mechanisms and formats within the region.
Tehran is set to host the meeting next week, with special envoys from Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, China, and Russia expected to attend.
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
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