Feb, 2019: Pakistan frees Taliban co-founder at US request

[edhopper]

Pakistan frees Taliban co-founder at US request; will play constructive role in Afghan peace initiative

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/international/pakistan-frees-taliban-co-founder-at-us-request-will-play-constructive-role-in-afghan-peace-initiative

Pakistan released Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar at US' request to help expedite the Afghan peace talks, Washington's special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said.

Khalilzad, who returned to the US from almost a month-long peace mission to South Asia and the Middle East, said on Friday that he had discussed conditions for the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan with the Taliban, but there had been no agreement on this issue yet, Dawn news reported.

[Klaralven]

1. Who are Taliban's key leaders in Afghanistan?

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar

One of the co-founders of the Taliban, Baradar now heads the political office of the Taliban and is part of the group’s negotiating team in Doha to try and thrash out a political deal that could pave the way for a ceasefire and more lasting peace in Afghanistan.

The process has failed to make significant headway in recent months.

Baradar, reported to have been one of Mullah Omar’s most trusted commanders, was captured in 2010 by security forces in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi and released in 2018.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/12/who-are-talibans-key-leaders-in-afghanistan

[Klaralven]

2. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan back with a bang

https://asiatimes.com/2021/08/the-islamic-emirate-of-afghanistan-back-with-a-bang/

A screengrab from a video showing Taliban leader Mullah Baradar Akhund, front, center, with his fellow insurgents, in Kabul on August 15. Born in 1968, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, also called Mullah Baradar Akhund, is the co-founder of the Taliban in Afghanistan. He was the deputy of Mullah Mohammed Omar. Photo: AFP / Taliban / EyePress News

[dalton99a]

3. "Great guy. We had a very good conversation. I sent Pompeo to make a deal with him."