Kabul : One day after the U.S. delegation’s visit to Kabul, reports have emerged of an agreement between the two sides on a prisoner exchange.
The talks took place on Saturday, September 14, between Adam Boehler, U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan, with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Acting Foreign Minister.
Hamdullah Fitrat, Deputy Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said: “Adam Boehler, referring to the issue of detainees in Afghanistan and the United States, stated that both countries will exchange their prisoners.”
Sayed Zia Hosseini, an international relations analyst, said: “The release of American citizens who are imprisoned under any circumstances is an opportunity for the Islamic Emirate to expand its engagement.”
The Third Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also commented on this visit, saying there are no serious obstacles in relations between Kabul and Washington.
Zakir Jalali wrote on X that both sides are interested in resolving issues and that the presence of Zalmay Khalilzad in the U.S. delegation was useful.
Mr. Jalali said: “After the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan, there are no serious obstacles in bilateral relations that cannot be resolved. If we compare Vietnam-U.S. relations after America’s withdrawal from Saigon with current Kabul-Washington relations, Kabul and Washington are in a better position. The fact that the U.S. delegation has opened its doors to Kabul marks a new and more serious phase in continuing negotiations.”
Abdul Mabood Hujjati, a political analyst, said: “The more dialogue and discussion take place, the more mistrust will be removed and relations will expand. Gradually, diplomatic and political relations will transform into economic ones.”
Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, another political analyst, said: “From a security perspective and given Afghanistan’s current situation, it is necessary for Americans and Europeans, like Islamic and Asian countries, to engage with the Islamic Emirate, because Afghanistan today has emerged from a state of war.”
This marks the second visit of a U.S. delegation to Kabul within a year. Yesterday, Adam Boehler and his accompanying delegation met with senior officials of the Islamic Emirate, including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, and Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister.
