Five Taliban prisoners being held at Guantanamo Bay have agreed to be transferred to Qatar as part of a peace plan between the US and the Islamist political group, according to officials in Kabul.
The inmates, who are not charged with killing Americans, said they were willing to be moved to the Gulf state, which is playing an increasingly important role in negotiations between the two sides.
Afghanistan’s government has also agreed to the transfer, which it originally rejected on grounds that it wanted an “Afghan-led transition”, according to AFP.
Media reports say the US is yet to give its consent to the move, which forms part of the Obama administration’s peace initiative and would mark the first significant step towards negotiations with the Taliban.
However, many American politicians have spoken out against the possible transfer, saying it would be “a step too far” to transfer the detainees – who are among the most dangerous at Guantanamo, the BBC reported.
The announcement from the prisoners came after a visit from Afghan government officials earlier in the week, who were in the US on a mission from President Hamid Karzai.
Should the transfer take place, the inmates would be reunited with their families in Qatar, and would be placed under the Gulf state’s custody.
In January, the Taliban said it had reached a preliminary agreement to set up a political office in Qatar, which would better allow it to enter talks with the international community.
Follow us on
