Taliban leader, Hebatullah Akhundzada, called for “immediate” removal of obstacles to intra-Afghan talks in a message released on Tuesday to mark the upcoming Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Adha.
Akhundzada said that the prisoner release process plays a big part in building trust and shortening the path toward peace.
“Domestic parties should immediately remove all obstacles obstructing intra-Afghan dialogue and give priority to the greater interests of our homeland over division of smaller interests so that the Afghans may jointly eliminate all internal and potential causes of war and conflict, restore peace to our homeland and reach an understanding among themselves over future Islamic government,” he said that in the message.
Akhundzada welcomed US evacuation of troops from five bases in Afghanistan. He urged US to show “seriousness, urgency and prudence” in the implantation of the deal as he referred to the issues of prisoner releases, black lists and military operations.
He also said that the Taliban wants serious steps to be taken for the reconstruction and development in Afghanistan under the shade of a “pure Islamic government.”
Taliban signed a peace deal with the United States, based on which all foreign troops would fully leave Afghanistan by May 2021, conditions permitting.
The deal also expected the Afghan government to release 5,000 prisoners and the Taliban to free 1,000 as part of confidence building measure ahead of intra-Afghan talks that was scheduled to begin on March 10.
The release process has not been completed yet as the government objects freeing hundreds of prisoners Taliban are demanding.
