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| Will Bowe Bergdahl's release embolden US enemies? | Will Bowe Bergdahl's release embolden US enemies? |
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| US Sgt Bowe Bergdahl has been released five years after being captured by Afghan Taliban, in a controversial exchange for five Taliban officials being held at Guantanamo Bay. | US Sgt Bowe Bergdahl has been released five years after being captured by Afghan Taliban, in a controversial exchange for five Taliban officials being held at Guantanamo Bay. |
| The prisoner swap came after secret talks between the US government and the Taliban, brokered by Qatar. | The prisoner swap came after secret talks between the US government and the Taliban, brokered by Qatar. |
| Who is Bowe Bergdahl? | Who is Bowe Bergdahl? |
| Bergdahl was serving with an Alaska-based infantry regiment in Paktika province near the Pakistani border and went missing on 30 June 2009, five months after being deployed to Afghanistan. | Bergdahl was serving with an Alaska-based infantry regiment in Paktika province near the Pakistani border and went missing on 30 June 2009, five months after being deployed to Afghanistan. |
| The circumstances of his capture remain murky, with speculation he may have walked away from his base out of disillusionment with the US campaign. US officials say any decision over possible desertion charges will be made by the army, but there is a feeling the soldier has suffered enough. | The circumstances of his capture remain murky, with speculation he may have walked away from his base out of disillusionment with the US campaign. US officials say any decision over possible desertion charges will be made by the army, but there is a feeling the soldier has suffered enough. |
| The US believes he was across the frontier in Pakistan for most of his captivity, reportedly held by the Haqqani network, which operates in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region and is allied to the Afghan Taliban. | The US believes he was across the frontier in Pakistan for most of his captivity, reportedly held by the Haqqani network, which operates in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region and is allied to the Afghan Taliban. |
| How was he handed over? | How was he handed over? |
| Taliban officials say the 28-year-old was handed over near Khost, close to the the Afghan-Pakistan border, on the evening of 31 May. A several-dozen strong US special forces team flew in by helicopter and briefly met some 18 Taliban on the ground. | Taliban officials say the 28-year-old was handed over near Khost, close to the the Afghan-Pakistan border, on the evening of 31 May. A several-dozen strong US special forces team flew in by helicopter and briefly met some 18 Taliban on the ground. |
| Once the helicopter was in the air, Bergdahl wrote the letters "SF?" on a paper plate - an abbreviation for special forces - and reportedly broke down when the men responded: "Yes, we've been looking for you for a long time." | Once the helicopter was in the air, Bergdahl wrote the letters "SF?" on a paper plate - an abbreviation for special forces - and reportedly broke down when the men responded: "Yes, we've been looking for you for a long time." |
| Why has he been released now? | Why has he been released now? |
| Bergdahl was the only US soldier being held by the enemy in the Afghan conflict, and Washington had long been seeking his release, spurred on by the "Standing with Bowe" campaign led by his parents in Hailey, Idaho. | Bergdahl was the only US soldier being held by the enemy in the Afghan conflict, and Washington had long been seeking his release, spurred on by the "Standing with Bowe" campaign led by his parents in Hailey, Idaho. |
| Negotiations for the US-Taliban prisoner swap began three years ago with US and Taliban officials meeting face-to-face in Qatar. | Negotiations for the US-Taliban prisoner swap began three years ago with US and Taliban officials meeting face-to-face in Qatar. |
| But the talks did not move forward because the US were pushing for a wider peace process, while the Taliban wanted to limit the talks to a prisoner swap, Taliban sources told the BBC's David Loyn in Kabul. | But the talks did not move forward because the US were pushing for a wider peace process, while the Taliban wanted to limit the talks to a prisoner swap, Taliban sources told the BBC's David Loyn in Kabul. |
| Direct negotiations broke down a year ago when the Afghan government opposed the opening of a Taliban office in Qatar, although secret talks continued, mediated by Qatar. | Direct negotiations broke down a year ago when the Afghan government opposed the opening of a Taliban office in Qatar, although secret talks continued, mediated by Qatar. |
| The issue was given more impetus as plans solidified to pull nearly all American forces out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016. US sources say the breakthrough came when hardline Taliban leaders dropped their opposition to a swap. | The issue was given more impetus as plans solidified to pull nearly all American forces out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016. US sources say the breakthrough came when hardline Taliban leaders dropped their opposition to a swap. |
| How is he? | How is he? |
| The soldier was flown to a military hospital in Germany, where a statement released on Monday by the Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre said he was in a stable condition and receiving treatment for "dietary and nutrition needs". | |
| His father Robert Bergdahl said Bowe was struggling to speak English after his long captivity. In an emotional White House lawn press conference with Barack Obama shortly after the release, Robert Bergdahl delivered his son a message in Pashto, the language of his captors. | His father Robert Bergdahl said Bowe was struggling to speak English after his long captivity. In an emotional White House lawn press conference with Barack Obama shortly after the release, Robert Bergdahl delivered his son a message in Pashto, the language of his captors. |
| Who are the Guantanamo detainees? | Who are the Guantanamo detainees? |
| The exchanged prisoners are Mohammad Fazl, Khirullah Khairkhwa, Abdul Haq Wasiq, Mullah Norullah Noori and Mohammad Nabi Omari. | The exchanged prisoners are Mohammad Fazl, Khirullah Khairkhwa, Abdul Haq Wasiq, Mullah Norullah Noori and Mohammad Nabi Omari. |
| They are thought to be the most senior Afghans still held at Guantanamo, having been captured during America's military campaign in 2001. | They are thought to be the most senior Afghans still held at Guantanamo, having been captured during America's military campaign in 2001. |
| Fazl served as the Taliban's deputy defence minister and is accused of possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shia Muslims. | Fazl served as the Taliban's deputy defence minister and is accused of possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shia Muslims. |
| Khairkhwa served as interior minister and governor of Herat, Afghanistan's third largest city. He is alleged to have had direct links to Osama bin Laden. | Khairkhwa served as interior minister and governor of Herat, Afghanistan's third largest city. He is alleged to have had direct links to Osama bin Laden. |
| What guarantees are there they will not go back to fray? | What guarantees are there they will not go back to fray? |
| US President Barack Obama says Qatar has given assurances "that it will put in place measures to protect our national security". | US President Barack Obama says Qatar has given assurances "that it will put in place measures to protect our national security". |
| Under the deal, the five freed Taliban detainees will be banned from leaving Qatar for at least a year. | Under the deal, the five freed Taliban detainees will be banned from leaving Qatar for at least a year. |
| Some US lawmakers have complained the swap breaches a law that Congress should be given 30 days' notification before Guantanamo Bay detainees are released. The White House says it took the chance to free Bergdahl in "unique and exigent circumstances". | Some US lawmakers have complained the swap breaches a law that Congress should be given 30 days' notification before Guantanamo Bay detainees are released. The White House says it took the chance to free Bergdahl in "unique and exigent circumstances". |
| Some argue there is US precedent for this type of transfer, with Ronald Reagan's administration in 1985-86 reportedly winning the freedom of US hostages in Beirut in exchange for arms destined for Iran. | Some argue there is US precedent for this type of transfer, with Ronald Reagan's administration in 1985-86 reportedly winning the freedom of US hostages in Beirut in exchange for arms destined for Iran. |
| Will their release embolden enemies of US? | Will their release embolden enemies of US? |
| The US has a long-standing policy not to negotiate with those it deems terrorists and the prisoner swap has drawn criticism - especially from conservatives. | The US has a long-standing policy not to negotiate with those it deems terrorists and the prisoner swap has drawn criticism - especially from conservatives. |
| Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, called it a fundamental shift in policy that would act as an incentive for further abductions of US personnel. | Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, called it a fundamental shift in policy that would act as an incentive for further abductions of US personnel. |
| The White House insists it has maintained its policy of refusing to negotiate with terrorists, and that it had no direct talks with Sgt Berdahl's kidnappers, as Qatar acted as an intermediary. | The White House insists it has maintained its policy of refusing to negotiate with terrorists, and that it had no direct talks with Sgt Berdahl's kidnappers, as Qatar acted as an intermediary. |
| How will the releases help the wider peace process? | How will the releases help the wider peace process? |
| Correspondents say it is unclear what impact the release will have on a wider peace process. | Correspondents say it is unclear what impact the release will have on a wider peace process. |
| The Afghan High Peace Council want talks with the Taliban to happen inside Afghanistan, and does not want to involve the Americans. | The Afghan High Peace Council want talks with the Taliban to happen inside Afghanistan, and does not want to involve the Americans. |
| When will Bowe be home? | When will Bowe be home? |
| Bowe Bergdahl will begin the acclimatisation process through telephone and video calls with his family from a US military base in Germany. | Bowe Bergdahl will begin the acclimatisation process through telephone and video calls with his family from a US military base in Germany. |
| It is not clear when he will return to the US - at which point officials say he will be reunited with his family at a military medical centre in San Antonio. | It is not clear when he will return to the US - at which point officials say he will be reunited with his family at a military medical centre in San Antonio. |
| In his hometown of Hailey, Idaho, residents are preparing to welcome him back as a hero, with a homecoming event later this month. It was originally scheduled to be a rally calling for his release but now looks to be more of a celebration. |