Afghan forces free 32 captives from Taliban prison

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - Authorities in Afghanistan said Thursday that 32 people were freed from a Taliban prison in northern Baghlan province.

It is the fourth prison break this week that resulted in the freeing of dozens of civilians and soldiers.

Afghan National Army’s (ANA) 217th Pamir Corps said among those freed were 12 security forces and 20 civilians who were being held captive by the Taliban in the Dand-e-Shahabuddin area.

Regional ANA commander in Baghlan, Farid Khan, told Anadolu Agency the operation was conducted late Wednesday on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Pul-e-Khumri.

He said at least three suspects were arrested and the rebels’ prison facility has been destroyed.

The Taliban have yet to comment on the report.

At least 62 captives, including soldiers and civilians, were freed following similar operations by the Afghan forces on the rebels’ shadow prison facilities, according to the defense ministry officials.

They include 27 captives freed Jan. 21 from Nehr-e-Siraj district of restive southern Helmand province, 13 from Washer district of Helmand province Jan. 15 and 22 from a Taliban prison in Charkh district of Logar province.

- Taliban urge Biden not to repeat past mistakes

The Taliban urged US President Joe Biden on Thursday not to repeat past mistakes from his time as deputy to Barack Obama. The group said the peace process initiated by the Trump administration should be continued.

“The issue of Afghanistan has no military solution,” it said. “It is in the interest of both the US and Afghanistan that foreign troops leave Afghanistan in line with the Doha peace accord.”

In accordance with the peace deal inked last February last year, the Taliban freed at least 1,000 Afghan security forces in return for more than 5,000 insurgents freed by the government.

The two sides have been engaged in a second round of talks in the Qatari capital since Jan. 10.