New Afghan Leaders Free Former Taliban Leaders

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 10, 2002

New Afghan Leaders Free Former Taliban Leaders

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The Taliban defense and justice ministers and several other high-ranking leaders of the ousted ruling militia surrendered to officials of the new Afghan government and have been freed, a Kandahar commander said Wednesday.

Jalal Khan, a close associate of Kandahar Gov. Gul Agha, told The Associated Press that the defecting Taliban met officials in the Kandahar government and received general amnesty after recognizing the nation's new interim administration headed by Prime Minister Hamid Karzai.

They have been allowed to go back to their homes and live with their families, Khan said.

"Those men who have surrendered are our brothers and we have allowed them to live in a peaceful manner," Khan said. "However, they will not participate in politics."

They include Mullah Ubaidullah, the defense minister, and Nooruddin Turabi �� the one-eyed, one-legged justice minister who imposed some of the Taliban's harshest edicts.

Others are Abdul Haq, former security chief of Herat province, an ancient cultural crossroads where the Taliban's crude, extreme Islamic rule was never well-accepted, the minister of mines, Mullah Saadudin, and senior officials Raees Abdul Wahid, Abdul Salam Rakti, and Mohammad Sadiq.

Intelligence Ministry officials in the capital, Kabul, would not comment Wednesday on the reported surrender and amnesties. In Kandahar, Khan said they were in line with general policy granting amnesty to Taliban who recognize Karzai's government.

Negotiations on Taliban surrenders have frustrated the U.S.-led coalition, especially the apparent escape last week of leader Mullah Mohammed Omar who reportedly had been surrounded in the mountainous Baghran district north of Kandahar.

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