Haqqani Network leader, aides released

ABU DHABI/ PESHAWAR: A senior Haqqani Network leader has been released from an Afghan prison, sources related to the Afghan peace talks informed Geo News.

According to the details received, main leader of the Haqqani Network faction of Taliban, Anas Haqqani, and eight aides were released by the Afghan intelligence agency from prison. Anas Haqqani is the youngest son of the founder of Haqqani Network Jalaluddin Haqqani and the younger brother of the current leader of Haqqani Network Sirajuddin Haqqani. It is pertinent to mention that Anas Haqqani was arrested by the Afghan intelligence agency on 14 October 2014 from Afghanistan’s Khost province. According to the sources, the release of the Taliban commander is the result of a dialogue between the Taliban and the US in the UAE. It is believed that the recent release is part of the deal of prisoners exchange.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Taliban and family circles of Jalaluddin Haqqani were quick to deny reports that mostly appeared in the Afghan media and were widely circulated on social media. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid released a statement to deny the media reports about the release of Anas Haqqani. Also, sources close to the family of Jalaluddin Haqqani denied Anas Haqqani’s release. “Actually, the confusion was created when the Afghan security shifted Anas Haqqani from one block to another in the same prison. The prisoners in the jail saw him being taken by the Afghan security forces and felt he has been freed. They started calling people that Anas Haqqani has been released,” said a source close to the Haqqani family.

He said a delegation of the Afghan Taliban had delivered a list of their prisoners to the US officials when they first met in Qatar a few months ago and the names of Anas Haqqani and Hafiz Rasheed were included in the list.

The name of Haji Mali Khan, a maternal uncle of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the operational chief of Haqqani Network and deputy leader of Afghan Taliban, was also put in the top list of detained Taliban leaders. Taliban sources said that besides other important issues, the prisoners’ issue was discussed in detail in the recent peace talks between US and Taliban in the UAE. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan also took part in the peace talks.

US special peace envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad soon after concluding his talks with Taliban flew to Pakistan and called on Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and as per an ISPR statement appreciated Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace process. He then flew to Kabul and was supposed to meet Afghan President Dr Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Dr Abdullah on Thursday.