Since the transfer of Bagram detention center to Afghan control, hundreds, if not thousands, of inmates have been released by the Afghan government. Now, a panel set by the government to review the cases of 880 relatively high profile militants is intending to release 80% of such prisoners.

This has triggered concerns among the US military officials. Indeed, release of insurgents by the Afghan government was one of the main concerns of the US authorities before and at the time of the transfer of Bagram prison. Although the US was reluctant to transfer the facility, President Hamid Karzai had demanded it for certain times both secretly and before the public. Transfer has been a part of transition process.

Hundreds of Taliban fighters get arrested by the foreign and Afghan national security forces every year. But there has always been a kind of sympathy for them somewhere in the heart of the Afghan government and some of them get released without the knowledge of the media and the people of Afghanistan.

Unsurprisingly, the released insurgents have been found joining back the ranks of Taliban. Some of them get re-arrested or killed in clashes between Taliban and Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Released Taliban are the ones who are violent and have more hatred in their hearts against the US and Afghan government due to the condition they might have faced inside the jails.

Additionally, the Pakistani government has also been releasing scores of Afghan Taliban fighters and commanders on the request of the Karzai administration. Nevertheless, the whereabouts of released insurgents remain a mystery to the Afghan government.

Prisoners have been released by the Karzai administration and on its request from Pakistani jails so that confidence can be built between the government and Taliban and discussion between them over peace in Afghanistan can take place. As can be seen no confidence is being built. Contrarily, Taliban’s insurgency is getting more momentum with the passage of each day.

The release of insurgents would not be painful, if the Taliban had also set free Afghan soldiers and police caught by them during fights. The Taliban show no sympathy for members of Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). There have been countless incidents where they have butchered Afghan soldiers and police arrested by them. Even they do not spare civilians and laborers who work at Afghan army bases. The release of prisoners caught during the war is one sided, done only by the Afghan government.