KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghan government and the Taliban on Tuesday confirmed Anas Haqqani remained jailed in Afghanistan after his name was included in a Taliban negotiating team for this month’s peace talks with the US.
Anas Haqqani, the younger brother of the Haqqani network leader, was detained in Qatar few years back and then extradited to the Afghan government.
The Taliban today announced a 14-member negotiating team for next round of negotiations with US special envoy for peace Zalmay Khalilzad. The new Taliban team also includes Anas Haqqani.
Haroon Chakhansori, spokesman to the Afghan president, on Tuesday said that Haqqani was still in custody.
“No decision has so far made about the release of Anas Haqqani,” he said, while talking to Pajhwok Afghan News.
He said the Afghan government was responsible to enforce laws and those who had committed crimes against the Afghans would be decided according to the country’s laws. He assured the government was serious to implement justice in the Haqqani case.
A Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also confirmed that Anas Haqqani was still in jail with the Afghan government.
“Anas Haqqani is a student, he did not commit any crimes to be imprisoned, therefore he should be released to play his part in the new negotiating team,” he said in a tweet today.
