Featured Afghanistan Peace Process
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Haris Ali2140
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So parallel governments have been established. Civil servants and bureaucrats are taking sides now. One office issue and order and the second one rejects it. US is clear about its withdrawl. They may give statements like not trusting Taliban but the recent developments shows they are eager to withdraw. ANA will fall after US. Talibans are getting their fighters back.
Perfect recepie for a civil war. What more could go wrong???
Perfect recepie for a civil war. What more could go wrong???
M.AsfandYar
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Shit ton
Haris Ali2140
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Oh and don't forget ISIS.
CrazyZ
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In Reversal, Afghan Leader Agrees To Release Taliban Prisoners
March 11, 20205:31 PM ET
Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani, seen on Monday, has agreed to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners before peace talks begin.
Mohammad Ismail/Reuters
Two days after being sworn in for a second five-year term at a ceremony attended by senior U.S. officials, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has reversed his initial refusal to release Taliban prisoners prior to peace talks with the insurgents.
"President Ghani issued a decree tonight to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners starting Saturday from a list provided by the Taliban," U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad wrote early Wednesday on Twitter. "The Taliban had already agreed to release up to 1,000 prisoners from the Afghan government side."
A peace plan signed in Doha on Feb. 29 by the U.S. and the Taliban — but not by the Afghan government — calls for up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners to be set free by the first day of intra-Afghan negotiations, which did not start on the appointed date on March 10 as specified in the peace accord.
In a decree touted as a good faith gesture to get talks started, Ghani has committed to releasing the first 1,500 Taliban prisoners in batches of 100 a day beginning March 14. The remaining 3,500 war prisoners would be freed at a rate of 500 every two weeks once direct talks begin with the Taliban, but only if there has been a major reduction in violent attacks.
Age, state of health and remaining sentence time will be criteria for who is released, according to the decree. The prisoners will also have to swear in writing that they will not return to the battlefield.
"The Taliban prisoners will not be released without a guarantee," Afghan presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi was quoted as saying by Afghanistan's online TOLO News agency. "We should be assured that these individuals do not return to the war to fuel Taliban's war machine."
A Taliban representative in Doha protested the conditions Ghani is now placing on the prisoner release agreed to by the Taliban and the U.S.
"We handed over to the US team a detailed list of 5,000 prisoners that none can tamper with," tweeted Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen. "Our very condition is that the detainees are acceptable if verified by our team, whether they are handed over to us in an open rural area or in the premises of prisons."
In Washington, Republicans on Capitol Hill sharply questioned the proposed prisoner release when the commander of U.S. Central Command, Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, appeared Tuesday before the House Armed Services Committee.
Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fl., raised the case of Mark Frerichs, a 57-year-old U.S. government contractor from Illinois who was reported by American officials to have been captured in late January in Afghanistan's Khost province.
https://www.npr.org/2020/03/11/8146...an-leader-agrees-to-release-taliban-prisoners
========================================
Ghani has become a puppet for American interests. He has no choice but to follow their dictates.
Khalilzad Hopes Intra-Afghan Talks Conclude in '100 Days'
The US negotiator who signed a peace deal with the Taliban in Doha said he hopes that the intra-Afghan talks are concluded within 100 days.
Intra-Afghan talks:
“In order to end the war between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban, there is a need for a compromise to reach a political settlement,” Khalilzad told TOLOnews on Wednesday, days after the United States and the Taliban officially signed a peace agreement in Doha. The deal is intended to pave the way for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in exchange for a number of solid assurances by the Taliban to the US and its allies.
“I personally hope that this issue (intra-Afghan negotiations) will be resolved within 100 days. We want this issue to be resolved during the first phase of the withdrawal of US forces from the country, and this will be in the interest of Afghanistan and the world,” said Khalilzad, referring to the US-Taliban peace agreement, which states that the US will fully withdraw its forces over the next 14 months, and that the current force of about 13,000 troops will be reduced to 8,600 within 135 days.
Khalilzad, however, clarified that the withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan in 14 months is condition-based.
When asked what he felt during the signing of the US-Taliban deal, Khalilzad said: “I had a feeling of hope, but it was nothing to celebrate. There is a possibility that this agreement will open the door for intra-Afghan talks, and I think this will happen, but we can only celebrate after it is completed."
Khalilzad suggested that Afghans, in light of the past 40 years of conflict, need to agree on a formula where the bitter events of the past are not repeated.
When asked if the US-Taliban peace agreement was a historic event, Khalilzad said: “If an agreement (peace agreement between Afghans) is reached, for a dignified and longstanding peace, then the day the US-Taliban agreement was signed will be remembered as an important event in the modern history of Afghanistan.”
But the US envoy cautioned that If the prevailing situation continues, the deal between the US and the Taliban will lose significance.
According to Khalilzad, the peace deal between the US and the Taliban was intended to test whether it was possible to end the conflict in Afghanistan through political means and negotiations.
He also said that the ongoing war in Afghanistan is taking the lives of many Afghans on a daily basis.
“Every week hundreds of Afghans are killed; sometimes, nearly 1000 Afghans are killed in a month. Annually the number of casualties among Afghans exceeds thousands of fatalities. This war needs to stop now,” he said.
Khalilzad said that initially both the Afghan government and its allies believed that they could defeat the Taliban on the military front, but now everyone is convinced that there is no military solution to the conflict in the country, only a political settlement.
Terrorism:
Khalilzad said that the Taliban, as part of their commitment to the peace deal, assured the US they will fight terrorism and keep Al Qaeda elements outside of Afghan territory.
He however rejected rumors that the US-Taliban deal had two secret elements.
He said that every provision of the deal between the US and the Taliban are interconnected and interrelated.
“The agreement is not only about trusting each other, it is based on what is taken in exchange for what is given--- it is a totally conditions-based agreement,” he said.
In answer to questions about whether the US and the Taliban will fight Al Qaeda together, Khalilzad said: “We have reached an agreement about how they (the Taliban) will deal with such issues. We have joint channels in Doha where meetings are held on a daily basis. At the same time, we are dealing with this from an intelligence perspective to find out whether these commitments are implemented or not.”
When asked if the US provides financial assistance to the Taliban to fight terrorism, Khalilzad said: “Currently we are not providing any money to the Taliban.”
He said that Taliban representatives, US diplomats and military personnel are meeting in Doha on a regular basis to discuss the implementation of the peace deal between the two sides, and the next steps to ensure full implementation of the accord.
US forces withdrawal:
In answer to a question about the US troop withdrawal, the US envoy said: “I don’t want to talk about it for the sake of security, because there are domestic and external elements who are eager to create obstructions in the way of a successful implementation of this agreement.”
“There are certain people who would prefer the ongoing situation to continue--rather than peace--because it benefits them economically, ” said Khalilzad
Khalilzad said that the US, the Afghan government and the Taliban share the responsibility to ensure successful implementation of the peace deal.
“It’s very clear that any withdrawal will be conditions-based, it is very important for the Afghan people to be aware that if all the conditions that exist in the agreement are implemented, if there is an assurance to the US and the world about threats from the Afghan soil, if there are intra-Afghan talks that we pray to yield an outcome, then the US will not see it necessary to stay here, ” Khalilzad said.
“We don’t want to leave in a situation where there is still a war going on in the country; we understand people’s concerns, that’s why we are trying to restore peace,” he said.
Khalilzad said that the US recognizes the Afghan government as a legitimate and strategic partner, not anyone else.
“The Taliban is a group that is at war here, so it’s better to end this war through negotiations, understanding, and through intra-Afghan talks where we have the Taliban and an inclusive delegation from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to end the war.” He said.
Ceasefire:
“Based on the US-Taliban peace agreement, the scale of the war should be reduced in the country after the peace agreement. We wanted to test the Taliban to see that they were are able to reduce violence, and act upon what they say, and the result was positive,” said Khalilzad, referring to the 7-day reduction in violence (RIV) plan that was implemented on February 22.
He said that the Taliban must not miscalculate when it comes to the issue of increasing violence.
“If they (the Taliban) launch attacks on Afghan forces, we will be there to defend them (Afghan forces), so we are mounting pressure on the Taliban to not resort to violence, and the war must be reduced,” he said.
“According to the agreement, a ceasefire comes once the two teams--the team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban--sit down. And they have said that a ceasefire is one of the key issues that needs to be agreed upon. Once there is a political agreement, there will be a permanent ceasefire,” Khalilzad said.
Prisoners:
Khalilzad said that the Taliban demanded the release of 5,000 prisoners in exchange for engaging in talks with the Afghan side.
“The Taliban wanted 5,000 of its prisoners to be released by the government--out of 13,000 to 14,000 prisoners--on the day of the talks, to build trust, or to create a conducive environment for talks. So we told them (the Taliban) that we are prepared to help in this matter,” said Khalilzad.
President Ashraf Ghani signed an order on Tuesday night to pardon and release Taliban prisoners in order for the peace talks between Afghanistan's government and the Taliban to start, said Palace spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi.
According to the first part of the decree, which was released to the media on Wednesday, the prisoners that will be released are required to make a written commitment not to return to the war, said Sediqqi, who also said the prisoners will be released after a biometric process.
Before his inauguration, Ghani announced that he would not release the Taliban prisoners before the intra-Afghan talks.
Peace negotiating team:
The US envoy said that it's better that a single team is dispatched for holding talks with the Taliban.
“It will be good to have one team. I have talked about it with various sides. Despite problems in the political sphere, everyone prefers one team to go for talks,” he said.
On the post-withdrawal Afghanistan, he said: “We would be very happy to see an end to the war.”
In a question about the chances that the agreement will collapse, Khalilzad said, “It is very difficult to come up with a percentage about such issues. Of course, our expectation is that there is less possibility of success if the Taliban fails to abide by their commitments and instead acts against the provisions of the agreement. Then there is a possibility (of a collapse of the US-Taliban deal).”
On a possible move by the Taliban to re-establish an Islamic emirate, he said: “it’s a red line for the international community; there is international consensus regarding this matter, so I don’t think this will happen.”
Post-election crisis:
Khalilzad said that he tried his best to create understanding between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah before the twin inaugurations, but he did not have enough time because of the time required by the peace process.
“We tried our best, we worked until 4:30 am on the day of the twin inaugurations. A meeting was also held between Mr. Ashraf Ghani and Mr. Abdullah. Unfortunately, we could not manage to reach a conclusion. Both sides said that they want the negotiations to continue to find a solution. We are seeking ways to find a solution to the issue,” said Khalilzad.
“I am confident that the two (Ghani and Abdullah) have the intention to find a solution, because it's something the world wants, and the people of Afghanistan want, and it is also a necessity, in light of the current situation, to give peace a chance,” Khalilzad said.
“We hope that this will not overshadow the historic opportunity for peace in Afghanistan,” Khalilzad said in response to differences between Ghani and Abdullah.
Khalilzad said that differences between the two sides could have negative impacts on the peace process and the security of Afghanistan.
According to Khalilzad, President Ashraf Ghani had offered Abdullah a post as head the High Peace Council, and a stake in (Ghani's) government, but Abdullah refused the proposal.
“It's now the time for the two sides to focus on the interests of Afghanistan,” Khalilzad suggested.
In a question about the parallel government, he said: “We are not in support of two governments, we do not favor any parallel government, we do not have any problem with Dr. Abdullah’s ideas and concerns, we are aware of the problems in the election. What we want to say is that there is a need for an understanding in this sensitive situation, because we want a sovereign, united and self-sufficient Afghanistan.”
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/khalilzad-hopes-intra-afghan-talks-conclude-100-days
==============================================================
Sounds like the viceroy already has a peace plan in mind.
March 11, 20205:31 PM ET
Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani, seen on Monday, has agreed to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners before peace talks begin.
Mohammad Ismail/Reuters
Two days after being sworn in for a second five-year term at a ceremony attended by senior U.S. officials, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has reversed his initial refusal to release Taliban prisoners prior to peace talks with the insurgents.
"President Ghani issued a decree tonight to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners starting Saturday from a list provided by the Taliban," U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad wrote early Wednesday on Twitter. "The Taliban had already agreed to release up to 1,000 prisoners from the Afghan government side."
A peace plan signed in Doha on Feb. 29 by the U.S. and the Taliban — but not by the Afghan government — calls for up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners to be set free by the first day of intra-Afghan negotiations, which did not start on the appointed date on March 10 as specified in the peace accord.
In a decree touted as a good faith gesture to get talks started, Ghani has committed to releasing the first 1,500 Taliban prisoners in batches of 100 a day beginning March 14. The remaining 3,500 war prisoners would be freed at a rate of 500 every two weeks once direct talks begin with the Taliban, but only if there has been a major reduction in violent attacks.
Age, state of health and remaining sentence time will be criteria for who is released, according to the decree. The prisoners will also have to swear in writing that they will not return to the battlefield.
"The Taliban prisoners will not be released without a guarantee," Afghan presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi was quoted as saying by Afghanistan's online TOLO News agency. "We should be assured that these individuals do not return to the war to fuel Taliban's war machine."
A Taliban representative in Doha protested the conditions Ghani is now placing on the prisoner release agreed to by the Taliban and the U.S.
"We handed over to the US team a detailed list of 5,000 prisoners that none can tamper with," tweeted Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen. "Our very condition is that the detainees are acceptable if verified by our team, whether they are handed over to us in an open rural area or in the premises of prisons."
In Washington, Republicans on Capitol Hill sharply questioned the proposed prisoner release when the commander of U.S. Central Command, Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, appeared Tuesday before the House Armed Services Committee.
Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fl., raised the case of Mark Frerichs, a 57-year-old U.S. government contractor from Illinois who was reported by American officials to have been captured in late January in Afghanistan's Khost province.
https://www.npr.org/2020/03/11/8146...an-leader-agrees-to-release-taliban-prisoners
========================================
Ghani has become a puppet for American interests. He has no choice but to follow their dictates.
Khalilzad Hopes Intra-Afghan Talks Conclude in '100 Days'
The US negotiator who signed a peace deal with the Taliban in Doha said he hopes that the intra-Afghan talks are concluded within 100 days.
Intra-Afghan talks:
“In order to end the war between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban, there is a need for a compromise to reach a political settlement,” Khalilzad told TOLOnews on Wednesday, days after the United States and the Taliban officially signed a peace agreement in Doha. The deal is intended to pave the way for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in exchange for a number of solid assurances by the Taliban to the US and its allies.
“I personally hope that this issue (intra-Afghan negotiations) will be resolved within 100 days. We want this issue to be resolved during the first phase of the withdrawal of US forces from the country, and this will be in the interest of Afghanistan and the world,” said Khalilzad, referring to the US-Taliban peace agreement, which states that the US will fully withdraw its forces over the next 14 months, and that the current force of about 13,000 troops will be reduced to 8,600 within 135 days.
Khalilzad, however, clarified that the withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan in 14 months is condition-based.
When asked what he felt during the signing of the US-Taliban deal, Khalilzad said: “I had a feeling of hope, but it was nothing to celebrate. There is a possibility that this agreement will open the door for intra-Afghan talks, and I think this will happen, but we can only celebrate after it is completed."
Khalilzad suggested that Afghans, in light of the past 40 years of conflict, need to agree on a formula where the bitter events of the past are not repeated.
When asked if the US-Taliban peace agreement was a historic event, Khalilzad said: “If an agreement (peace agreement between Afghans) is reached, for a dignified and longstanding peace, then the day the US-Taliban agreement was signed will be remembered as an important event in the modern history of Afghanistan.”
But the US envoy cautioned that If the prevailing situation continues, the deal between the US and the Taliban will lose significance.
According to Khalilzad, the peace deal between the US and the Taliban was intended to test whether it was possible to end the conflict in Afghanistan through political means and negotiations.
He also said that the ongoing war in Afghanistan is taking the lives of many Afghans on a daily basis.
“Every week hundreds of Afghans are killed; sometimes, nearly 1000 Afghans are killed in a month. Annually the number of casualties among Afghans exceeds thousands of fatalities. This war needs to stop now,” he said.
Khalilzad said that initially both the Afghan government and its allies believed that they could defeat the Taliban on the military front, but now everyone is convinced that there is no military solution to the conflict in the country, only a political settlement.
Terrorism:
Khalilzad said that the Taliban, as part of their commitment to the peace deal, assured the US they will fight terrorism and keep Al Qaeda elements outside of Afghan territory.
He however rejected rumors that the US-Taliban deal had two secret elements.
He said that every provision of the deal between the US and the Taliban are interconnected and interrelated.
“The agreement is not only about trusting each other, it is based on what is taken in exchange for what is given--- it is a totally conditions-based agreement,” he said.
In answer to questions about whether the US and the Taliban will fight Al Qaeda together, Khalilzad said: “We have reached an agreement about how they (the Taliban) will deal with such issues. We have joint channels in Doha where meetings are held on a daily basis. At the same time, we are dealing with this from an intelligence perspective to find out whether these commitments are implemented or not.”
When asked if the US provides financial assistance to the Taliban to fight terrorism, Khalilzad said: “Currently we are not providing any money to the Taliban.”
He said that Taliban representatives, US diplomats and military personnel are meeting in Doha on a regular basis to discuss the implementation of the peace deal between the two sides, and the next steps to ensure full implementation of the accord.
US forces withdrawal:
In answer to a question about the US troop withdrawal, the US envoy said: “I don’t want to talk about it for the sake of security, because there are domestic and external elements who are eager to create obstructions in the way of a successful implementation of this agreement.”
“There are certain people who would prefer the ongoing situation to continue--rather than peace--because it benefits them economically, ” said Khalilzad
Khalilzad said that the US, the Afghan government and the Taliban share the responsibility to ensure successful implementation of the peace deal.
“It’s very clear that any withdrawal will be conditions-based, it is very important for the Afghan people to be aware that if all the conditions that exist in the agreement are implemented, if there is an assurance to the US and the world about threats from the Afghan soil, if there are intra-Afghan talks that we pray to yield an outcome, then the US will not see it necessary to stay here, ” Khalilzad said.
“We don’t want to leave in a situation where there is still a war going on in the country; we understand people’s concerns, that’s why we are trying to restore peace,” he said.
Khalilzad said that the US recognizes the Afghan government as a legitimate and strategic partner, not anyone else.
“The Taliban is a group that is at war here, so it’s better to end this war through negotiations, understanding, and through intra-Afghan talks where we have the Taliban and an inclusive delegation from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to end the war.” He said.
Ceasefire:
“Based on the US-Taliban peace agreement, the scale of the war should be reduced in the country after the peace agreement. We wanted to test the Taliban to see that they were are able to reduce violence, and act upon what they say, and the result was positive,” said Khalilzad, referring to the 7-day reduction in violence (RIV) plan that was implemented on February 22.
He said that the Taliban must not miscalculate when it comes to the issue of increasing violence.
“If they (the Taliban) launch attacks on Afghan forces, we will be there to defend them (Afghan forces), so we are mounting pressure on the Taliban to not resort to violence, and the war must be reduced,” he said.
“According to the agreement, a ceasefire comes once the two teams--the team of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Taliban--sit down. And they have said that a ceasefire is one of the key issues that needs to be agreed upon. Once there is a political agreement, there will be a permanent ceasefire,” Khalilzad said.
Prisoners:
Khalilzad said that the Taliban demanded the release of 5,000 prisoners in exchange for engaging in talks with the Afghan side.
“The Taliban wanted 5,000 of its prisoners to be released by the government--out of 13,000 to 14,000 prisoners--on the day of the talks, to build trust, or to create a conducive environment for talks. So we told them (the Taliban) that we are prepared to help in this matter,” said Khalilzad.
President Ashraf Ghani signed an order on Tuesday night to pardon and release Taliban prisoners in order for the peace talks between Afghanistan's government and the Taliban to start, said Palace spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi.
According to the first part of the decree, which was released to the media on Wednesday, the prisoners that will be released are required to make a written commitment not to return to the war, said Sediqqi, who also said the prisoners will be released after a biometric process.
Before his inauguration, Ghani announced that he would not release the Taliban prisoners before the intra-Afghan talks.
Peace negotiating team:
The US envoy said that it's better that a single team is dispatched for holding talks with the Taliban.
“It will be good to have one team. I have talked about it with various sides. Despite problems in the political sphere, everyone prefers one team to go for talks,” he said.
On the post-withdrawal Afghanistan, he said: “We would be very happy to see an end to the war.”
In a question about the chances that the agreement will collapse, Khalilzad said, “It is very difficult to come up with a percentage about such issues. Of course, our expectation is that there is less possibility of success if the Taliban fails to abide by their commitments and instead acts against the provisions of the agreement. Then there is a possibility (of a collapse of the US-Taliban deal).”
On a possible move by the Taliban to re-establish an Islamic emirate, he said: “it’s a red line for the international community; there is international consensus regarding this matter, so I don’t think this will happen.”
Post-election crisis:
Khalilzad said that he tried his best to create understanding between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah before the twin inaugurations, but he did not have enough time because of the time required by the peace process.
“We tried our best, we worked until 4:30 am on the day of the twin inaugurations. A meeting was also held between Mr. Ashraf Ghani and Mr. Abdullah. Unfortunately, we could not manage to reach a conclusion. Both sides said that they want the negotiations to continue to find a solution. We are seeking ways to find a solution to the issue,” said Khalilzad.
“I am confident that the two (Ghani and Abdullah) have the intention to find a solution, because it's something the world wants, and the people of Afghanistan want, and it is also a necessity, in light of the current situation, to give peace a chance,” Khalilzad said.
“We hope that this will not overshadow the historic opportunity for peace in Afghanistan,” Khalilzad said in response to differences between Ghani and Abdullah.
Khalilzad said that differences between the two sides could have negative impacts on the peace process and the security of Afghanistan.
According to Khalilzad, President Ashraf Ghani had offered Abdullah a post as head the High Peace Council, and a stake in (Ghani's) government, but Abdullah refused the proposal.
“It's now the time for the two sides to focus on the interests of Afghanistan,” Khalilzad suggested.
In a question about the parallel government, he said: “We are not in support of two governments, we do not favor any parallel government, we do not have any problem with Dr. Abdullah’s ideas and concerns, we are aware of the problems in the election. What we want to say is that there is a need for an understanding in this sensitive situation, because we want a sovereign, united and self-sufficient Afghanistan.”
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/khalilzad-hopes-intra-afghan-talks-conclude-100-days
==============================================================
Sounds like the viceroy already has a peace plan in mind.
Kabul is being run by Zalmay Khalilzad. All other figures are puppets or red herrings.
Haris Ali2140
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Standoff Continues Over Taliban Prisoner Release
The disagreement over the terms of the release of up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners from the Afghan government’s custody has delayed the process that was expected to happen on March 10.
The Afghan government has agreed to release up to 1,500 prisoners in 10 days, starting from March 14, but sources said the Taliban has not accepted those terms.
“We proposed a mechanism for the peace process to move forward. Taliban will have to work with us to find a solution, get their prisoners released and push for peace,” said Javid Faisal a spokesman for the National Security Council. “The ball is in their court now to decide on whether to remain part of the problem or become part of the solution.”
The prisoner release mentioned in the US-Taliban deal is intended to open the way for the start of the intra-Afghan negotiations.
“If the Taliban (prisoners) have not been released as agreed between the US and the Taliban, the Taliban indicate that negotiations will not begin,” said Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban member.
“It is a US responsibility to release the 5,000 prisoners, or the Taliban will not prepare for talks,” said Sami Yousafzai, a journalist.
Afghan analysts said the process should be conducted in a way that will help the peace process.
“The Taliban owe their release to the US authorities, especially Khalilzad, and they have no respect for Ashraf Ghani's orders and what the Americans have promised them. And I do not believe that the Taliban will ever negotiate or comply with Ashraf Ghani,” said Ahmad Saeedi, an analyst.
Acting Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi also commented on the prisoner release at a press conference on Saturday.
“Our representatives (from the ministry) are also on the board that holds meeting (for the prisoners release) and will decide about the first 100 prisoners and how they will be released--and when--and their details will be shared with the public when they are released,” he said.
“The Afghan government is fully prepared to do so (release the prisoners), and an assessment has begun of the Taliban list to properly analyze the risks and move the process forward,” said Durrani Waziri, a presidential spokesman.
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/rift-over-taliban-prisoner-release-delays-process
The disagreement over the terms of the release of up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners from the Afghan government’s custody has delayed the process that was expected to happen on March 10.
The Afghan government has agreed to release up to 1,500 prisoners in 10 days, starting from March 14, but sources said the Taliban has not accepted those terms.
“We proposed a mechanism for the peace process to move forward. Taliban will have to work with us to find a solution, get their prisoners released and push for peace,” said Javid Faisal a spokesman for the National Security Council. “The ball is in their court now to decide on whether to remain part of the problem or become part of the solution.”
The prisoner release mentioned in the US-Taliban deal is intended to open the way for the start of the intra-Afghan negotiations.
“If the Taliban (prisoners) have not been released as agreed between the US and the Taliban, the Taliban indicate that negotiations will not begin,” said Sayed Akbar Agha, a former Taliban member.
“It is a US responsibility to release the 5,000 prisoners, or the Taliban will not prepare for talks,” said Sami Yousafzai, a journalist.
Afghan analysts said the process should be conducted in a way that will help the peace process.
“The Taliban owe their release to the US authorities, especially Khalilzad, and they have no respect for Ashraf Ghani's orders and what the Americans have promised them. And I do not believe that the Taliban will ever negotiate or comply with Ashraf Ghani,” said Ahmad Saeedi, an analyst.
Acting Interior Minister Massoud Andarabi also commented on the prisoner release at a press conference on Saturday.
“Our representatives (from the ministry) are also on the board that holds meeting (for the prisoners release) and will decide about the first 100 prisoners and how they will be released--and when--and their details will be shared with the public when they are released,” he said.
“The Afghan government is fully prepared to do so (release the prisoners), and an assessment has begun of the Taliban list to properly analyze the risks and move the process forward,” said Durrani Waziri, a presidential spokesman.
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/rift-over-taliban-prisoner-release-delays-process
925boy
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Bro, this split elections resulting in 2 presidents is VERY bad for Afghanistan. I'm worried its the perfect foundation to trigger a civil war. Like you said, there is already 2 sides, and Taliban havent even jumped in. We all want peace for Afghanistan, but i reluctantly worry that Afghanistan might need balkanization the most.
IMO, NATO transported ISIS from ME after they lost in Syria(bad manager TUrkey was for ISIS affairs in SYria) to Afghanistan to use them as an asymmetrical way of attacking the Taliban. lo and behold, after ISIS entered Afghanistan ALL OF A SUDDEN, they started attacking the Taliban. If that is correct, then ISIS attacks will either reduce and stop, or spike in relation to certain events in Afghanistan..
Haris Ali2140
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One more thing is that the current ISIS-K's leadership and top command are ex-TTP who were pushed out of FATA after operations by Pakistan Army.
Haris Ali2140
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Haris Ali2140
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Govt Assesses Taliban Prisoners’ Likelihood to Fight Again
National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal on Sunday said that the government is attempting to determine which of the Taliban prisoners currently being considered for release might pose a threat in the future.
The US-Taliban peace deal signed in Doha on February 29 called for 5,000 Taliban prisoners to be released by the Afghan government, and 1000 Afghan forces prisoners to be released by the Taliban. Shortly after the deal-signing, President Ghani balked at the release, saying that the Afghan government—which was not a party to the US-Taliban deal—had made no commitment to do so. However, Ghani’s stance changed and the Presidential Palace announced the release would take place, but with conditions.
The Afghan government agreed to release up to 1,500 prisoners in 10 days, starting on March 14, but the process has not started. Sources said the Taliban has not accepted those terms.
On Sunday, Faisal said: “The reassessment of the prisoner list has started, and we should make sure that those who are released will not return to the battlefield,” he said.
“We will not release 5,000 prisoners except in a gradual process,” said presidential advisor Waheed Omar. “In return, there should be some give and take between us and the Taliban. It is part of the peace process and it will happen.”
Shakoor Dadras, formerly in charge of assessing the cases of prisoners in Bagram, blamed the government for not having the will for peace.
“He (President Ghani) said that it belonged to him to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners. ‘What is that to the US? The authority of this is with me,’” he said, referring to President Ghani’s remarks following the US-Taliban deal. “But after two nights, they announced that they would release 5,000 prisoners, and later they added conditions to it. These preconditions will be canceled in a while.”
Some members of the National Solidarity Party of Afghanistan at a rally in Kabul on Sunday announced their opposition to the release of Taliban prisoners.
“Peace will not come to Afghanistan with such secret deals,” said a spokesperson of the party, Selai Ghafar.
“Peace does not have any relation to the release of Taliban prisoners,” said Zala, a member of the party.
Meanwhile, the Taliban issued a statement on Sunday saying that lack of health services and hygienic conditions in government detention centers are a matter of concern. They call on international rights and health organizations to serious attention to Afghanistan's prisons.
They called on prisoners to implement health measures to keep inmates safe from the coronavirus.
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/govt-assesses-taliban-prisoners’-likelihood-fight-again
National Security Council spokesman Javid Faisal on Sunday said that the government is attempting to determine which of the Taliban prisoners currently being considered for release might pose a threat in the future.
The US-Taliban peace deal signed in Doha on February 29 called for 5,000 Taliban prisoners to be released by the Afghan government, and 1000 Afghan forces prisoners to be released by the Taliban. Shortly after the deal-signing, President Ghani balked at the release, saying that the Afghan government—which was not a party to the US-Taliban deal—had made no commitment to do so. However, Ghani’s stance changed and the Presidential Palace announced the release would take place, but with conditions.
The Afghan government agreed to release up to 1,500 prisoners in 10 days, starting on March 14, but the process has not started. Sources said the Taliban has not accepted those terms.
On Sunday, Faisal said: “The reassessment of the prisoner list has started, and we should make sure that those who are released will not return to the battlefield,” he said.
“We will not release 5,000 prisoners except in a gradual process,” said presidential advisor Waheed Omar. “In return, there should be some give and take between us and the Taliban. It is part of the peace process and it will happen.”
Shakoor Dadras, formerly in charge of assessing the cases of prisoners in Bagram, blamed the government for not having the will for peace.
“He (President Ghani) said that it belonged to him to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners. ‘What is that to the US? The authority of this is with me,’” he said, referring to President Ghani’s remarks following the US-Taliban deal. “But after two nights, they announced that they would release 5,000 prisoners, and later they added conditions to it. These preconditions will be canceled in a while.”
Some members of the National Solidarity Party of Afghanistan at a rally in Kabul on Sunday announced their opposition to the release of Taliban prisoners.
“Peace will not come to Afghanistan with such secret deals,” said a spokesperson of the party, Selai Ghafar.
“Peace does not have any relation to the release of Taliban prisoners,” said Zala, a member of the party.
Meanwhile, the Taliban issued a statement on Sunday saying that lack of health services and hygienic conditions in government detention centers are a matter of concern. They call on international rights and health organizations to serious attention to Afghanistan's prisons.
They called on prisoners to implement health measures to keep inmates safe from the coronavirus.
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/govt-assesses-taliban-prisoners’-likelihood-fight-again
H. Dawary
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Zabiullah Mujahid and other Taliban commanders hosted a Q&A program for Afghans, answering their questions in Pashto and Farsi. He basically iterated, that talks are to happen with Ghani and co. but since the condition of prisoner release has not been met, the talks will not happen, and hostilities are pretty much up in the air.
The Causus belli lies with the Taliban since the Kabul regime doesn't wish to abide by the terms, in which case blood will be in their hands...
Haris Ali2140
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Haris Ali2140
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Haris Ali2140
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