Small Wars Journal

Afghanistan: U.S. Seeks Prisoner Swap with Taliban

Tue, 02/18/2014 - 6:52am

U.S. Seeks Prisoner Swap with Taliban to Free Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl by Anne Gearan and Ernesto Londoño, Washington Post.

In an effort to free American captive Bowe Bergdahl before the bulk of U.S. forces leave Afghanistan this year, the Obama administration has decided to try to resume talks with the Taliban and sweeten an offer to trade Taliban prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for the Army sergeant, current and former officials said.

Five members of the Afghan Taliban who have been held at Guantanamo for years would be released to protective custody in Qatar in exchange for the release of Bergdahl, who was captured in Afghanistan in 2009 and is thought to be held in Pakistan by the Haqqani network, an allied insurgent group…

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