Taliban seek release of more prisoners, removal of leaders' names from UN blacklist

Kabul [Afghanistan], July 21 (ANI): Taliban have sought the release of more prisoners and the removal of its leaders' names from the UN blacklist as a trust-building measure, said Atta Mohammad Noor, a high-level Afghan politician on Tuesday.
Noor, who attended the two-day Doha negotiations with the Taliban delegation, said this will not happen and the government will not repeat its previous act--of releasing 5,000 inmates--which did not help in reducing violence or furthering the peace process in the country.
He said three commissions were formed during the two days of talks in Doha but none led to any results, TOLOnews reported.
This comes as the Afghan government and Taliban were expected to announce at least a three-day ceasefire during Eid. However, it did not happen despite a high-level meeting in Doha, Qatar.
Amid the continuing offensive by Taiban, Noor said that trust can be built through other ways.
"Trust can be built through understanding, partnership in power, political partnership, end of war, reduction in violence, and ceasefire. We could have started from any other route, but regretfully, this did not happen," he said.
Welcoming the agreement in Doha for the continuation of negotiations, he said: "We hope that one day the other side will realise that war is not the solution in Afghanistan and peace is in the interest of all sides."
On Monday, President Ghani accused the Taliban of having secret deals with Pakistan. Speaking on a trip to Herat province, Ghani said the group has destroyed over 140 mosques.
"How did you deal concerning Afghanistan's water? How did you deal on Afghanistan's mines? How did you deal on Afghanistan's defence and security forces? How did you deal on the Durand Line?" Ghani asked.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have denied the allegations. (ANI)