Afghan Taliban say exchange of prisoners with US suspended

Afghan Taliban Sunday said they have suspended process of transfer of prisoners with the United States due to the “current complicated political environment in Afghanistan.

Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl  has been held prisoner since 2009, when he walked off an American base in eastern Afghanistan and fell into the hands of militants.

In January, the Taliban sent a video to Bergdahl family in the United States that proved he is still alive, prompting officials to consider new terms for a swap.

“The leadership of the Afghnistan Islamic Emirate had assigned the Political Office of the Islamic Emirate to take steps for the exchange of their priosners in Guantanamo with one U.S. soldier in our custody through the mediation of Qatar,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.

“Political Office started work on the exchange and some progress was made through mediation that included the release of the recent video to prove that the prioser is alive.”

The Taiban spokesman confirmed the video was part of the negotiations with the U.S.

“However the leadership of the Islamic Emirate has now decided to postpone the process of the transfer of the priosners for some time due to the current complex political situation in the country. The process will remain suspended without the exchange of the prsoners until next order,” the Taliban spokesman said.

Sources say that the Americans wanted to transfer the Guantanamo Five prisoners and exchange for Bergdahl.

Reports also suggested one of the five is a Haqqani operative and there is some suggestion that he is included because they believe the Haqqanis are holding Bergdahl and will use this to get them to open talks.

A Taliban official had recently confirmed there had been indirect talks on the prisoners' exchange issue.

President Obama’s adviser, Bernet Rubin, had visited Kabul recently to get views of the Afghan officials. He had then traveled to Qatar to continue discussions, however, the Taliban sources said he had not held direct talks with the Taliban representatives in the Gulf state.

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