The difficulty has reportedly develop into a stumbling block in secret negotiations between Washington and Kabul
Secret talks between US and Afghan officers on a prisoner change have stalled after the Taliban insisted {that a} detainee held at Guantanamo Bay be included in any new deal, the New York Instances has reported.
Afghanistan has freed at the least 5 American prisoners over the previous 12 months, however negotiations have reached an deadlock over the 2 nonetheless in custody, the paper wrote on Monday, citing three nameless sources accustomed to the discussions.
In line with the report, the Taliban is demanding the discharge of Muhammad Rahim, the final Afghan nationwide held at Guantanamo Bay and an alleged affiliate of Osama bin Laden.
In line with the NYT, Washington has accused Kabul of participating in “hostage diplomacy” and has demanded data on the whereabouts of a 3rd US citizen held by the Taliban. The group has rejected the accusation and insists that it has solely two People in custody.
A Senate Intelligence Committee report revealed in 2014 recognized Rahim as an “Al-Qaeda facilitator” who was arrested in Pakistan in 2007 and later handed over to the CIA. Regardless of being subjected to “in depth use of the CIA’s enhanced interrogation methods,” Rahim didn’t present the spy company with any intelligence, in response to the report. His lawyer has maintained that the costs towards his shopper are largely exaggerated and unsubstantiated by proof.
Kabul had tried to safe his launch throughout earlier talks with the administration of Joe Biden in its closing months, the Wall Road Journal wrote final 12 months.
The Trump administration has additionally engaged with the Taliban, which ousted the Western-led authorities shortly after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The group now seeks official recognition from Washington and on the broader worldwide stage.
Final September, Donald Trump unsuccessfully tried to stress the Afghan authorities at hand again management over Bagram Air Base, a Soviet-built facility expanded by the US throughout its almost two decade occupation of Afghanistan.
