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- Presidential decree says first round of 1,500 prisoners to be released will be selected based on age, health and the length of sentences already served
KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has signed a decree for the release of 1,500 Taliban prisoners as part of a historic peace deal between the militant group and the US.
However, the Afghan leader refused to release all 5,000 prisoners immediately, as demanded by the Taliban under the Feb. 29 agreement.
Taliban leaders condemned Ghani’s proposal, saying it violated the accord signed with the US.
The Taliban had promised to take part in talks with the government as part of the deal, but said on Wednesday that they would not join negotiations until all the prisoners had been freed.
Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s spokesman in Doha, tweeted on Wednesday: “The Taliban has given the US a full list of 5,000 (inmates). No forgery can be done to it. One condition: The prisoners should be handed to the Taliban in a deserted area. Or names should be checked by a Taliban delegation in prison.”
Under the order signed by Ghani on Tuesday night, Kabul will free “1,500 Taliban as a goodwill gesture,” starting on Saturday.
“Every day, 100 Taliban prisoners will be released in consideration of age, health status and the remaining time of sentenced imprisonment,” excerpts from the decree read.
Ghani’s spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, said on Wednesday that the initiative was part of efforts to close the latest chapter of the war in Afghanistan, which began with the Taliban’s ouster in a 2001 US-led invasion; and to kick-start talks between the militants and the government.
“President Ghani has signed the decree that would facilitate the release of the Taliban prisoners in accordance with an accepted framework for the start of negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government,” Sediqqi tweeted.
As part of the peace deal signed in Qatar by US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, the Taliban asked for the release of 5,000 prisoners in exchange for 1,000 government troops held by the militants.
However, days after the peace deal was agreed, Ghani refused to release the prisoners, insisting that their freedom was a matter for his government and not the US. Ghani and his administration were excluded from 16 months of intensive talks between the Taliban
and Washington.
According to the decree, “the prisoners to be released are required to make a written commitment not to return to the war. The prisoners will be released after a biometric process.”
“With the beginning of the direct talks between the Afghan government and Taliban, every two weeks 500 Taliban prisoners will be released — provided that a major reduction in violence continues — until 3,500 more are released,” the decree said.
The move brought a negative response from Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).
“News about the prisoner exchange between the Taliban and Afghanistan has raised concerns and questions.
The AIHRC calls on the US, Taliban and Afghan government to answer critical questions on prisoners release,” Shaharzad Akbar, head of AIHRC, said.
“What specific mechanisms and processes will allow victims of prisoners to access justice now and in the future? How will these fit into wider mechanisms to ensure that any peace process includes a roadmap to justice for millions of Afghan victims?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Khalilzad urged Kabul and the Taliban “to sit down immediately for talks on this issue in Doha to work out the details. The Afghan government has agreed to do so. When implemented, this will be a significant step in the peace process.”
Ghani has yet to name a delegation for talks with the Taliban. After the deal with Washington, the insurgents halted all attacks against US-led troops, but resumed the strikes recently.
Washington demanded the Taliban scale down the violence and, in return, pledged to withdraw all US troops from the country within 14 months — a process that has already been initiated by the US.