On Tuesday, it was reported that the Afghan government executed a prison swap with the terrorist group, the Taliban. The swap included the release of three Taliban “commanders” for two American University of Afghanistan professors who have been held for over three years as “elite” hostages.
The professors were identified as U.S. citizen Kevin King and Australian citizen Timothy Weeks, who were taken at gunpoint from the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul in August 2016. “The two professors are safely freed and are being taken care of now,” said an Afghan official.
According to an Al Jazeera source, the three freed Taliban terrorists “had landed in Qatar, which hosts the group’s political office at the request of the United States.” Among the freed Taliban commanders is senior Taliban leader Anas Haqqani, brother of the Taliban’s deputy, Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also heads the Haqqani network, one of the most violent Taliban factions.
Last week, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced that the decision “was made after consultations with the U.S. and was aimed at ‘facilitating face-to-face negotiations directly with the Taliban,’ who have, until now, refused to engage with what they call an illegitimate, US-backed ‘puppet’ government,’ as reported by Al Jazeera (state-run propaganda network).
The move to negotiate this deal between Afghanistan and the Taliban comes months after President Trump made the decision to cancel talks with the terrorist group due to its terrorist attacks. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Trump “made the right decision” to cease talks with the vicious organization.
NBC News’ report of the release of these U.S. Hostages did not mention the agreement made to free three Taliban terrorists in exchange for the two professors, seeming to sympathize with the Taliban.