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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Pakistan 'frees Afghan Taliban ex-minister Mullah Turabi' | Pakistan 'frees Afghan Taliban ex-minister Mullah Turabi' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan has freed the Afghan Taliban's ex-justice minister, Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, and three other Taliban prisoners, officials say. | |
| Afghan officials have been in talks with Pakistani counterparts to try to free certain Taliban prisoners in order to push forward a peace process. | Afghan officials have been in talks with Pakistani counterparts to try to free certain Taliban prisoners in order to push forward a peace process. |
| Pakistan released 13 Afghan Taliban members in November. | Pakistan released 13 Afghan Taliban members in November. |
| However, the former Afghan Taliban number two, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, remains in Pakistani custody. | However, the former Afghan Taliban number two, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, remains in Pakistani custody. |
| Nato troops are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and Kabul hopes the freed Taliban figures can help bring the militants into formal peace talks. | Nato troops are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and Kabul hopes the freed Taliban figures can help bring the militants into formal peace talks. |
| Pakistani officials confirmed to Reuters and Agence France-Presse news agencies that the latest releases had gone ahead. | Pakistani officials confirmed to Reuters and Agence France-Presse news agencies that the latest releases had gone ahead. |
| Senior Afghan officials also confirmed the releases to the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul. | Senior Afghan officials also confirmed the releases to the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul. |
| The officials named the other men released as: | |
| |
| Our correspondent says the officials hope that Mullah Turabi's release will encourage field commanders to lay down their weapons and will also provide a greater understanding of the Taliban's senior leadership. | |
| It is unclear how long Mullah Turabi had been in Pakistani custody, but he was said to be in poor health. | It is unclear how long Mullah Turabi had been in Pakistani custody, but he was said to be in poor health. |
| At talks in Islamabad in November, Afghan officials had urged the release of Mullah Turabi, but the prisoners freed then were said to have been mid-level operatives, plus Anwar ul-Haq, a former militant commander in eastern Afghanistan. | At talks in Islamabad in November, Afghan officials had urged the release of Mullah Turabi, but the prisoners freed then were said to have been mid-level operatives, plus Anwar ul-Haq, a former militant commander in eastern Afghanistan. |
| As the Afghan Taliban's justice minister, Mullah Turabi was one of the most prominent members of the regime before it was ousted in late 2001. | As the Afghan Taliban's justice minister, Mullah Turabi was one of the most prominent members of the regime before it was ousted in late 2001. |
| In Kabul he was renowned for sitting outside the ministry building, keeping watch on passing crowds to see that dress codes were adhered to. | In Kabul he was renowned for sitting outside the ministry building, keeping watch on passing crowds to see that dress codes were adhered to. |
| Mullah Turabi is from southern Afghanistan's Uruzgan province, as is Mullah Omar. The two men are said to be related by a family marriage. |