The revelation came a week after the US and Taliban held talks in Doha for the first time since the fall of Kabul in August 2021…reports Asian Lite News
A number of foreign nationals, including Americans, have been held in Afghanistan’s prisons, a local media report said on Monday citing a Taliban official.
Without revealing the exact number of imprisoned foreigners in Afghanistan, the Taliban regime’s chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said: “They have been held in connection with security and other issues such as violation of our laws,” Xinhua news agency reported citing the TOLO News report.
If proven innocent the detained would be released and the solution would also be found for those not innocent, TOLO News quoted Mujahid as saying.
Neither Mujahid nor TOLO News provided more details.
The revelation came a week after the US and Taliban held talks in Doha for the first time since the fall of Kabul in August 2021.
During the talks held in the Qatari capital on July 30-31, Washington pressed the regime to “reverse policies responsible for the deteriorating human rights situation” in Afghanistan, as well as for the release of detained American citizens.
On their part, the Taliban said they wanted the unfreezing of Afghanistan’s assets, as well as lifting of sanctions and travel bans.
In July, the US expressed “deep concern” over the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, particularly for women and girls and expressed support for the people’s demands for their rights to be respected.
US Special representative for Afghanistan Thomas West along with Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights Rina Amiri, and Chief of the America’s Mission to Afghanistan, based in Doha, Karen Decker interacted with the Taliban representatives on July 30 and 31. “The American delegation expressed deep concern regarding the humanitarian crisis and the need to continue to support aid organizations and UN bodies delivering assistance consistent with humanitarian principles,” the US State Department said.
“US officials urged the Taliban to reverse policies responsible for the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, particularly for women, girls, and vulnerable communities. US officials expressed grave concern regarding detentions, media crackdowns, and limits on religious practice. The United States expressed support for the Afghan people’s demands for their rights to be respected and for their voices to shape the future of the country,” the statement added.
The American delegation also met the representatives of Afghan Central Bank and Taliban-appointed Finance department discussed the state of economy of the country and also took the note of the declining inflation, growth of merchandise exports and imports in Afghanistan in 2023, and voiced openness to a technical dialogue regarding economic stabilization issues soon.
US officials noted that Taliban’s commitment to not allow the territory of Afghanistan to threaten the Washington DC and its allies, and the two sides discussed Taliban efforts to fulfill security commitments. (with inputs from agencies)
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