Afghan lawmakers on Monday reacted to the plan to release 7,000 additional Taliban prisoners as part of the US-Taliban deal, saying that it will not be a good decision if implemented. 

The lawmakers said that the Taliban is not committed to their promises and that over 5,000 prisoners of the group were released but “many returned to the battlefield.” 

US Chargé d’Affaires Ross Wilson in a chat with reporters on Sunday said that the Taliban is expecting the release of thousands of their prisoners under their agreement with the United States by mid-December. 

“The specific provision relating to another 7,000 Taliban prisoners is contained in the US-Taliban agreement,” Wilson said. 

“If you do the math, the Taliban expect under the terms of that agreement that there would be progress on releasing those prisoners by roughly mid-December. I have forgotten the exact date,” he said. 

Wilson said that “all of the various parts of the US-Taliban agreement are interlocked with one another, intersect with one another and that you can’t just take out one and say this one has to be adhered to without other aspects being adhered to.” 

“It will be better that there is a ceasefire during the negotiations,” said Gulalai Mohammadi, an MP.  

“No concessions should be given to the Taliban when it comes to the release of their prisoners unless the Taliban agrees on a ceasefire,” said Ali Akbar Jamshidi, an MP. 

The MPs said they are concerned that if more prisoners are released, more fighters will return to the battlefield. 

“Those who have been released from prison all have returned to the battlefield,” said Nazifa Zaki, an MP. 

The lawmakers said that despite the winter season, dozens of people are killed and wounded in the ongoing violence in the country every day. 

“Over the last two weeks, dozens of military and civilians have lost their lives,” said Sadiq Qaderi, an MP. 

Wolesi Jirga Speaker Mir Rahman Rahmani, who is also a member of the leadership committee of the High Council for National Reconciliation, said that there is an urgent need for a ceasefire in the country. 

“The release of 7,000 Taliban prisoners, which was mentioned by the Us ambassador, will result in extremism and the strengthening of the Taliban,” Rahmani said.  

The government recently said that at least 80 released prisoners of the Taliban who returned to the battlefield have been killed in clashes with Afghan forces. The Taliban has rejected the claim.