Senior leader Mullah Baradar is free, Afghan Taliban say

Mullah Baradar was the deputy of former Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammed Omar and was among four who had founded the group in 1994. (AP/File)

• Representatives say former deputy chief has “rejoined his family”
• Pakistan releases key official following talks between militant group and the US

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban confirmed on Wednesday evening that Pakistan had released its senior leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who was captured in a joint operation conducted by American and Pakistani intelligence officials in Karachi in 2010.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Arab News that Baradar, the group’s former deputy chief, “has rejoined his family after he was released on Wednesday afternoon”.
Abdul Samad, another Taliban leader, was also released along with Baradar, the group said.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal did not respond to a query seeking details about the Taliban leader’s release.
However, representatives from the group, while speaking to Arab News, said that Baradar’s release was one among several topics discussed during the meetings between American and Taliban officials in Doha, Qatar earlier this month.
“The Islamic Emirate has always called for the release of prisoners, removal of the names of our leaders from the UN Security Council’s sanctions list and the opening of the office in Qatar before the beginning of the official negotiations with the United States,” another Taliban official told Arab News.
Taliban officials who have worked with Baradar say Mullah Omar had once told the group’s leaders that Baradar would replace him after his death. Baradar had been appointed as the deputy chief by Omar.
Pakistan freed nearly 40 Afghan Taliban leaders in 2013 and early 2014 on the request of former Afghan President Hamid Karzai to encourage them to join the peace process. However, none of the freed Taliban representatives had joined the reconciliation process or ensuing talks with the Afghan government.
Earlier on Monday, Mujahid had told Arab News that media reports citing Baradar’s release were untrue.