A top Taliban commander was reportedly freed by Obama Administration as part of a prisoner exchange back in 2014.
Khairullah Khairkhwa is a long-time Taliban commander who previously served as the movement’s interior minister and oversaw stonings and beheadings.
Following 9/11, Khairkhwa, who presumably had ties with Osama Bin Laden, got nabbed in Pakistan before being sent to Guantanamo for life.
As New York Post reported, however, the Taliban commander got released as part of a prison exchange under the Obama Administration back in 2014.
At the time, Former President Barrack Obama released five known Taliban commanders in exchange for US Army Sgt. Robert “Bowe” Bergdahl, who deserted in Afghanistan only to be captured by the enemy, despite alleged warnings from the Pentagon.
While Obama reassured the public that the freed prisoners would be taken to Qatar so that they couldn’t cause more trouble in Afghanistan, the ‘Taliban Five’ soon reached out to militants in Afghanistan and led them from their base of operations in Qatar.
“I started jihad to remove foreign forces from my country and establish an Islamic government, and jihad will continue until we reach that goal through a political agreement,” Khairkhwa said earlier this year as he met with President Biden’s envoy to Afghanistan.
According to the publication, the Taliban Five were left free to mastermind the Taliban overthrow in Afghanistan and the takeover of Kabul following their release in 2014, whereas Khairkhwa is believed to be the mastermind behind the recent attack on the capital city.
Back under the Obama presidency, four other Taliban commanders, including Abdul Haq Wasiq, Mohammad Fazl, Norullah Noori, and Mohammad Nabi Omari, were released.
The Taliban Five were reportedly the only Guantanamo prisoners serving a life sentence to be released without clearance from the parole board.
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