Afghan Taliban frees 3 Indian engineers
Three Indian hostages have been released by the Afghan Taliban, in exchange for the release of at least 11 Taliban members including important leaders. The freed Afghan Taliban includes prominent leaders Sheikh Abdul Rahim and Maulvi Abdur Rashi, both of whom have served as governors of Kunar and Nimroz provinces during the Taliban administration before the US-led intervention in 2001. According to reports, the hostages were released early on Sunday at an undisclosed location.
Afghan Taliban members were freed from the Bagram airbase by the US forces, implying that the prisoner swap deal was done between the Taliban and the United States, sources have confirmed. The release, however, is not verified by the Afghan government.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has not been notified of the release of Indian engineers and maintain they are in touch with the Afghanistan government as reports of the release have brought to their notice.
Seven Indian engineers working for a power plant in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan Province were kidnapped in May 2018. One of the hostages was released in March.
With the Afghanistan government unaware of the development, it seems that the swap was a result of the Afghan Taliban meeting with Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad.
Sources say that Khalilzad had asked the Taliban to release at least five foreign prisoners including three Indian engineers, one American and one Australian national in exchange for release of the Taliban leaders and members.
The release of Indian engineers is yet to be confirmed by the Afghan authorities.
Sources say that the Indian engineers may be in the custody of the US forces and may be handed over to the Afghan authorities in the coming hours for the return.
For now, their release is yet to be confirmed by the Afghan authorities to India through diplomatic channels.
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