Members of the Afghan parliament showed apprehension over talks of the government releasing another batch of 7000 Taliban prisoners amid the next phase of intra-Afghan negotiation, TOLOnews reported. 

Afghan lawmakers on Monday said the Taliban has not kept their promise and 5000 prisoners that had been released earlier have already returned to battlefields. 

Earlier on Sunday, US Chargé d’Affaires Ross Wilson said the Taliban was expecting the release of another 7000 prisoners by mid-December, which he says, was the part of the US-Taliban deal signed on 29 February this year. 

The text of the Doha deal contains the clause of releasing more prisoners but that is also conditioned with the progress in intra-Afghan talks. Significantly, the deal also contains the clause of reduction in violence. Contrary to it, the insurgent group has stepped up their attacks on the Afghan security forces ever since they entered into the intra-Afghan negotiation in Doha, Qatar.  

Wilson also said, “all of the various parts of the US-Taliban agreement are interlocked with one another, intersect with one another and that you can’t just take out one and say this one has to be adhered to without other aspects being adhered to.” 

Akbar Jamshidi, a member of the Afghan parliament, said, “No concessions should be given to the Taliban when it comes to the release of their prisoners unless the Taliban agrees on a ceasefire,” 

MPs fear if the government release fighters, they will all return to battlefields.