US secretly, illegally releases top militant detainees in Afghanistan

Over the past several years, the "strategic release" program has allowed US officials to use prisoners in the Parwan detention center as “bargaining chips” in secret negotiations with militant groups in Afghanistan’s restive provinces, the Washington Post reported on Monday.

This is while the move is illegal under the “traditional legal system.”

The prisoners, often militants “who would not be released under the traditional legal system for military prisoners in Afghanistan,” are reportedly asked to “promise” not to attack American troops, the report said.

“Everyone agrees they are guilty of what they have done and should remain in detention. Everyone agrees that these are bad guys. But the benefits outweigh the risks,” claimed a US official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The report does not provide details on when the program started or how many detainees have been released.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan took place in 2001. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity continues to rise across Afghanistan despite the presence of tens of thousands of US-led troops there.