Without the start of direct negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan government, the peace deal the United States signed with the Taliban could collapse. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a blunt statement Thursday calling for the release of the prisoners and warning that U.S. assistance could hinge on how peace talks progress. The U.S.-Taliban deal called for the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners in exchange for the Taliban’s release of 1,000 members of Afghanistan’s security forces. The Taliban released 1,000 prisoners, but the Afghan government initially refused to release a group of 400 Taliban prisoners linked to high-profile attacks that killed scores of civilians. Peace talks with the Taliban are expected to begin as early as this week in Qatar.

Source: Washington Post August 09, 2020 10:47 UTC