Taliban leader celebrates US prisoner-swap victory

Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has issued a rare public statement hailing the exchange of five Guantanamo Bay detainees for a Taliban-held United States sol­dier as a “big victory”.
Sgt Bowe Bergdahl, 28, was handed to US forces in Afghanistan at the weekend.
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has defend­ed the exchange amid criticism Congress was not given 30 days’ notice before the detainees were released.
He said the US had to act quickly to save the soldier’s life. Sgt Berg­dahl, who is said to be in good condition and has been flown to Germany for more treatment, was the only US soldier being held by the Taliban in Af­ghanistan.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the en­tire Afghan Muslim na­tion,” said Mullah Omar, who has made no public appearances or speeches since fleeing Afghanistan in 2001 when US-led forces toppled the Tali­ban after the 9/11 attacks in the US.
President Barack Obama said at the week­end that he had received security guarantees from Qatar which mediated the deal and where the five Afghan men have been flown “that it will put in place measures to protect our national security”. Under the deal, they will be banned from leaving Qatar for at least a year.
Pictures of Taliban militants embracing their comrades released from Guantanamo, and com­ments by Mullah Omar calling this a “great vic­tory”, seemed designed to enrage Republican oppo­nents of Obama who saw the deal as soft on terror­ism.
The US Defence Sec­retary dismissed the criti­cism, saying this was an exchange of prisoners of war. He said that he hoped the deal would open the way to a wider peace process. The five released inmates had all been held at Guantanamo since 2002:
*Mohammad Fazl served as the Taliban’s deputy defence minister during America’s mili­tary campaign in 2001. Accused of possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shia Muslims.
*Khirullah Khairkhwa was a senior Taliban of­ficial serving as interior minister and governor of Herat, Afghanistan’s third largest city. Alleged to have had direct links to Osama Bin Laden.
*Abdul Haq Wasiq was the Taliban’s deputy minister of intelligence. Said to have been central in forming alliances with other Islamist groups to fight against US and co­alition forces.
*Mullah Norullah Noori was a senior Tali­ban military commander and a governor. Also ac­cused of being involved in the mass killings of Shia Muslims.
*Mohammad Nabi Omari held multiple Tali­ban leadership roles, in­cluding chief of security. Alleged to have been in­volved in attacks against US and coalition forces.