Ex-Taleban minister is free / Ex-Taliban FM 'offers to help Karzai'

Ex-Taliban FM 'offers to help Karzai'

The Taliban's former foreign minister Wakeel Ahmed Mutawakel has written to Afghan President Hamid Karzai offering to help his Government, a spokesman for Mr Karzai said.

The letter was sent earlier this month from Mr Mutawakel's home city of Kandahar, the Taliban's former stronghold in southern Afghanistan, Mr Karzai's spokesman, Jawed Ludin, said yesterday.

"Mutawakel, whom I believe is still in custody, has written to the President and has offered that he can help in any way that is possible," Mr Ludin said. snip

Mr Mutawakel was released from US military headquarters at Bagram air base and flown to Kandahar earlier this month, his uncle and an Afghan official told AFP.

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http://www.myafghan.com/news2.asp?id=-1862732122

Ex-Taleban minister is free

(BBC) - A spokesman for President Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan has confirmed that former Taleban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmad Mutawakil has been released from US custody at Bagram, north of Kabul.

Mutawakil has been called the respectable face of the Taleban
Mr Mutawakil was the most senior Taleban in custody, and - according to the spokesman - is among a number of Taleban who have made proposals of talks to the government.

The spokesman said the government had yet to make up its mind on the offer.

Earlier in the month, aides and family members of Mr Mutawakil said he had been released, although this was denied at the time by President Karzai.

Mr Mutawakil is now at an airbase in his home city of Kandahar under US protection.

Reports say he asked himself to be put under US protection.

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