Some political figures who met with US Special Envoy for Peace Zalmay Khalilzad on Sunday believe that one of the main goals of Mr. Khalilzad's trip to Kabul is to discuss the exchange of Taliban prisoners with two US university professors.

Khalilzad recently arrived in Kabul and those who visited him yesterday believe that Washington is seeking a resumption of peace talks with the Taliban and seeking the means to “open a space” between the US and the Taliban. These sources consider a possible exchange of the prisoner Anas Haqqani for two US university professors a potential solution.

“Our demand was, of course, that these prisoners should be exchanged and as long as these prisoners are not released it will intensify difficulties, and if we exchange the prisoners it will bring goodwill,” said Haji Din Mohammad, a High Peace Council deputy.

“Anas Haqqani and inmates similar to him are in Afghanistan prisons, they are not in Guantanamo Bay or any other prison outside the country, so Afghan law must be respected in their release,” said Fawozia Kofi, a political analyst.

On the other hand, the Afghan government said that Anas Haqqani is the killer of its citizens and is the “red line”:

“Anas Haqqani is the red line of the Afghan government and people. The Afghan people will not allow the Afghan government to release Anas Haqqani who is the killer of the Afghan people, and this decision is exclusively owned by the Afghan government and it is within the judgement of the Afghan government on how will deal with the Taliban prisoners,” said the Ghani’s spokesman, Sediq Seddiqi.

Khalilzad, however, had discussions with some of the country's political figures on Sunday about resuming peace talks with the Taliban and how the talks between the Afghans could begin.

“Participants in the meeting with Mr. Khalilzad insisted that during the Taliban's talks with the United States and inter-Afghan dialogue, violence should be decreased or a ceasefire should be maintained,” said Shahzada Massoud, a political analyst.