KABUL – US strongly responds over Afghanistan government decision ofreleasing top Commanders of Haqqani network.
US government welcomes and “strongly supports” President Ashraf Ghani’s“courageous decision” to release three Taliban prisoners, the US Ambassadorto Kabul, John Bass, told TOLOnews on Tuesday.
President Ghani at a news conference on Tuesday confirmed that AnasHaqqani, Haji Mali Khan and Hafiz Rashid, three Haqqani Network commanders,have been “conditionally released” in exchange for the release of twoHaqqani-held professors who were abducted while working for the AmericanUniversity of Afghanistan (AUAF).
“We believe this important step reflects the strength of the Islamicrepublic and of the Afghan Security Forces and their ongoing efforts toprotect and defend the Afghan people,’ he said.
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About two weeks ago, the National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohibconfirmed that recent meetings between President Ghani and ZalmayKhalilzad, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation hadfocused on the release of the two AUAF professors.
“This is the latest in a series of courageous steps that President Ghaniand the Afghan government have taken to respond to the Afghan people’soverwhelming desire for peace,” Bass said.
