Leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar, is praising the government of Qatar for securing the release of five high-level Taliban commanders out of Guantanamo Bay, calling it a "great victory" for the Afghan Muslim nation.
The Long War Journal is reporting Omar's comments after a statement credited to the leader appeared on the Taliban's website. He is reported as having given a "'heartfelt congratulations to the entire Afghan Muslim nation,' including 'all the mujahideen and to the families and relatives of the prisoners for this great victory.'"
The Express Tribune received an email from Omar declaring:
Indeed it’s a great and clear victory. All mujahideen should thank God who accepted their sacrifices and freed our comrades from the clutches of the enemy.
Also documented at The Long War Journal are pictures supplied by the Taliban of the five recently released Guantanamo prisoners as they arrived in Qatar. Cross referencing the names of these Taliban commanders with Wikileaks documents reveals how dangerous they are:
Abdul Haq Wasiq is a deputy minister of intelligence in the Taliban.
Mullah Norullah Noori is a senior Taliban military commander wanted by the UN for war crimes "including the murder of thousands of Shiite Muslims."
Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwa served in various Taliban positions and worked directly with Osama bin Laden.
Mohammad Nabi Omari served as chief of security for the Taliban.
Mullah Muhammad Fazl is wanted by the UN for war crimes over the mass killing of Shiite Muslims.
The United States has been "assured" by the Qatar government that the freed Taliban will remain in Qatar for one year. Obama's National Security Adviser Susan Rice repeated this assurance on the Sunday news programs.
Like Omar, President Obama also thanked the Qatar government for its cooperation in brokering the exchange of American Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, held captive by the Taliban for the last five years, for the Taliban commanders. Republicans say the president's actions in bypassing Congress to release the terrorist prisoners was unlawful.
