Taliban concern about the fate of some still-held prisoners in Afghanistan continues to loom large amid talks between the two sides. The government has ruled out any more releases, and while the Taliban hasn’t made that demand unconditional, they are very clear that they don’t want anyone killed.
Among the Taliban still held after the last round of releases, some 1,000 Taliban prisoners have been sentenced to be executed, according to the Directorate of Prisons. The Taliban disputes this, saying none of them are yet facing the death penalty.
Afghan officials have complained that some of the released Taliban returned to fighting. That’s a serious objection, but a far more serious objection is if the Directorate of Prisons starts executing people that turn out to be Taliban.
While the list initially was of Taliban to be released, several changes in who was released by the end means there probably are people that the Taliban sought and didn’t get.
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