Afghan Gov’t Released 100 Taliban Prisoners: ONSC

Afghan government released 100 Taliban prisoners on Wednesday as part of peace efforts and containment of COVID-19, the office of NSC said in a statement.

Afghan government released 100 Taliban prisoners on Wednesday as part of peace efforts and containment of COVID-19, the office of NSC said in a statement.
“Pursuant to President Ghani’s decree of March 11, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan released 100 Taliban prisoners today based on their health condition, age and length of remaining sentence as part of our efforts for peace and containment of COVID-19,” said the statement.

The 100 prisoners were on the broader list that the Taliban technical team shared and discussed during meetings with the technical team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Kabul.

“The National Directorate of Security and the Attorney General’s Office thoroughly vetted the prisoners, who have taken an oath never to return to the battlefield,” read the statement, adding that “the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan has received the same assurance from the group’s leadership in Doha”.
The releases took place according to routine procedure after the prisoners enrolled biometrically.

According to the statement, the government of Afghanistan remains open continuing joint technical work with the Taliban in order to advance the peace process.
Afghan NSA Hamdullah Mohib also in a video conference told ambassadors of troop-contributing countries that “Afghanistan is prepared to move forward on prisoners and peace”.