Afghan government says will not release ‘too dangerous’ Taliban prisoners
Afghanistan has reiterated that it will not release certain militants it deems ‘too dangerous,’ as demanded by the Taliban.
A prisoner swap is underway between Kabul and the militant group as part of a deal the Taliban signed with the United States in Qatar on February 29.
The Afghan government, which was not a signatory to the accord, was required to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners. The militants, for their part, were obliged to free 1,000 government captives.
Javid Faisal, the spokesman for the National Security Council (NSC), told AFP on Wednesday that 600 prisoners the militant group had asked to be released still had "serious criminal cases" against them.
Another government official, who asked not to be named, said people charged with murder and highway robbery as well as hundreds of foreign fighters are among those prisoners the Taliban wants to be freed.
“They are too dangerous to be released.”
The Taliban on Wednesday accused the government of fabricating criminal cases against the prisoners.
"If they continue to create more problems in this regard, then it shows they do not want issues to be solved through reasonable ways," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
The prisoner swap is pivotal to kick-starting intra-Afghan peace talks.
Kabul has already released over 4,000 Taliban militants, while the militant group have completed nearly two-thirds of its releases.
The NSC spokesman emphasized that the government was committed to the talks.
"We are ready for peace and will release the remaining prisoners... as per the agreement – just not these hundreds of prisoners who have serious criminal cases in the courts," he said.
Western countries also back the Afghan government’s refusal.
Under the agreement with the Taliban, the US will withdraw its forces from Afghanistan, and the Taliban will refrain from attacking international occupying forces. The militants have made no pledge to avoid attacking Afghan forces and civilians.
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