Afghan President Ashraf Ghani dashed hopes on Friday for a start to negotiations with Taliban insurgents, announcing the final 400 Taliban prisoners whose release is a prerequisite to start talks, will remain jailed. The announcement frustrates US efforts to find an end to Afghanistan’s years of relentless war.
Addressing the nation on the Muslim holy day of Eid ul Adha, Ghani said the 400 Taliban are convicted of crimes he has no authority to forgive. Instead, he will call a loya jirga — or traditional grand council of elders — to decide whether they should go free.
He said the council would meet “shortly.” Ghani’s announcement was certain to delay the start of negotiations between the warring sides and frustrate Washington’s efforts to bring an early end to hostilities, even as they scale down their presence in Afghanistan. It also comes at the start of a three-day cease-fire announced by the Taliban for the Eid holidays.
The prisoner releases were part of a deal the US signed in February with the Taliban aimed at ending Afghanistan’s endless wars and sending US troops home after nearly 20 years in Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war.