Islamabad: Pakistan today released three senior Afghan Taliban leaders, including a close aide of Mullah Omar, as part of efforts to facilitate the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
“Yes, three more have been released. This is ongoing process as part of efforts to facilitate reconciliation,” a top official told PTI on condition of anonymity.
Even though the names of the three leaders released could not be ascertained, The Express Tribune reported that they were Mullah Abdul Ahad Jahangirwal, a former adviser of Mullah Omar, Mullah Abdul Manan, a former Taliban governor in Helmand and Mullah Younus, a former military commander.
The release comes just few days after the government-backed peace negotiators visited Pakistan and met the senior Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.
“These are very important personalities,” a Taliban leader was quoted as saying by the daily.
Pakistan has also quietly freed ten other low-key Taliban detainees over the past few weeks, the Afghan Taliban claimed.
