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KABUL: The US Chargé d’Affaires to Kabul, Ross Wilson has stressed on maintaining of the last 19 years achievements, including freedoms and women rights during direct negotiations between the government and the Taliban.
“Members of the Afghan negotiating team and I shared common ideas today about the peace process that lies ahead,” Wilson said in a tweet on Monday. “Our enduring partnership that has advanced education, health, freedoms, and rights for the Afghan people demonstrate U.S. commitment here and it will continue.”
During the meeting, Wilson said that he shared the priorities such as sovereign, democratic and a united and peaceful Afghanistan in the region.
He emphasized on completion of the prisoners’ swap process and called on the Taliban to reduce violence. “We hope for progress soon,” he added.
Wilson says this while the Taliban conducted a motor bomb attack on an intelligence compound in northern Samangan province, where 11 people were killed and around 70 others wounded.
To reduce violence and engage into direct talks with the government, the Taliban insisted on release of their all 5,000 prisoners, which is agreed in US-Taliban deal signed in the absence of the government on February 29th in Doha. Based on the deal the militants should free 1,000 Afghan security forces. The Afghan government has released over 4,000 militants by far but said that 592 Taliban, who are charged with big crimes, would not be freed.
