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تصویر بندانگشتی

Jirga Called to Decide on Disputed Taliban Prisoners: Sediqqi

The Afghan government is convening the consultative Loya Jirga, the grand assembly of Afghan elders and representatives, to find consensus on a decision about the release of 400 Taliban prisoners who are accused of crimes including murder, drug trafficking and abduction, a senior government official said on Monday. 

The prisoners were named on a 5,000-member list handed to the government by the Taliban. The Afghan government has so far released 4,600 prisoners on this list but has refrained from releasing the remaining 400. President Ghani on Friday said he does not have the constitutional authority to release the 400 prisoners and, therefore, will convene a Loya Jirga to decide on the inmates. 

At least 3,200 people will attend the Jirga, according to presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi, who held a press conference in Kabul on Monday.  

The prisoners, he said, are accused of murder--in some cases up to 40 people-- and also for abduction, as well as other crimes. 

“The jirga will be convened on August 7. This is not to waste time. If it was aimed at killing time, it would have happened one or two months later,” Sediqqi said.  

A Taliban spokesman in Qatar, Suhail Shaheen, recently said that convening the Jirga to decide the release of the 400 prisoners meant the continuation of the war. 

“The peace process will be delayed with this,” said Hassan Haqyar, a political affairs analyst. 

“This will be an illegitimate use of the people’s budget,” said Qarib-Ur-Rahman Sari, member of Hizb-e-Islami. 

Meanwhile, Sediqqi said that the US had told the Afghan government that the intra-Afghan talks would begin after the release of 4,600 Taliban prisoners. 

“It was promised that you (the Afghan government) release 4,600 (prisoners) and after that negotiations will begin, and a ceasefire will be announced. It was promised to us,” Sediqqi said. 

This happens as the High Council for National Reconciliation – which has been built to lead the peace efforts – is on the sidelines and there are rifts between President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, head of the council, on their pick for the State Ministry for Peace Affairs. 

“Mr. Abdullah should have finalized (his picks) for the cabinet, the reconciliation council and all these within a week (after he took office),” said Sayed Ishaq Gailani, head of the National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan. 

But the spokesman of the High Council for National Reconciliation claimed that the council is playing its role in the peace process. 

“The high peace council’s role is not passive. All the responsibilities of the peace process are on this council and we are on the verge of announcing its members. Discussions with the people of Afghanistan have been finalized and the list is ready,” said Fraidoon Khwazoon, a spokesman for the council. 

The Afghan government has not made public any further details about the Jirga and its committees and its duration.

Jirga Called to Decide on Disputed Taliban Prisoners: Sediqqi

President Ghani’s spokesman Sediq Sediqqi says the Loya Jirga will be held on August 7.  

تصویر بندانگشتی

The Afghan government is convening the consultative Loya Jirga, the grand assembly of Afghan elders and representatives, to find consensus on a decision about the release of 400 Taliban prisoners who are accused of crimes including murder, drug trafficking and abduction, a senior government official said on Monday. 

The prisoners were named on a 5,000-member list handed to the government by the Taliban. The Afghan government has so far released 4,600 prisoners on this list but has refrained from releasing the remaining 400. President Ghani on Friday said he does not have the constitutional authority to release the 400 prisoners and, therefore, will convene a Loya Jirga to decide on the inmates. 

At least 3,200 people will attend the Jirga, according to presidential spokesman Sediq Sediqqi, who held a press conference in Kabul on Monday.  

The prisoners, he said, are accused of murder--in some cases up to 40 people-- and also for abduction, as well as other crimes. 

“The jirga will be convened on August 7. This is not to waste time. If it was aimed at killing time, it would have happened one or two months later,” Sediqqi said.  

A Taliban spokesman in Qatar, Suhail Shaheen, recently said that convening the Jirga to decide the release of the 400 prisoners meant the continuation of the war. 

“The peace process will be delayed with this,” said Hassan Haqyar, a political affairs analyst. 

“This will be an illegitimate use of the people’s budget,” said Qarib-Ur-Rahman Sari, member of Hizb-e-Islami. 

Meanwhile, Sediqqi said that the US had told the Afghan government that the intra-Afghan talks would begin after the release of 4,600 Taliban prisoners. 

“It was promised that you (the Afghan government) release 4,600 (prisoners) and after that negotiations will begin, and a ceasefire will be announced. It was promised to us,” Sediqqi said. 

This happens as the High Council for National Reconciliation – which has been built to lead the peace efforts – is on the sidelines and there are rifts between President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, head of the council, on their pick for the State Ministry for Peace Affairs. 

“Mr. Abdullah should have finalized (his picks) for the cabinet, the reconciliation council and all these within a week (after he took office),” said Sayed Ishaq Gailani, head of the National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan. 

But the spokesman of the High Council for National Reconciliation claimed that the council is playing its role in the peace process. 

“The high peace council’s role is not passive. All the responsibilities of the peace process are on this council and we are on the verge of announcing its members. Discussions with the people of Afghanistan have been finalized and the list is ready,” said Fraidoon Khwazoon, a spokesman for the council. 

The Afghan government has not made public any further details about the Jirga and its committees and its duration.

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