ZZAfghanistan criticises swap for captive US soldier

Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry has criticised the US for swapping Taliban prisoners at Guantanamo Bay to secure the release of a captured soldier.

In a statement today, the Foreign Ministry called the swap for Army Sgt Bowe Bergdahl "against the norms of international law" if it came against the five imprisoned Taliban detainees' will. The ministry said: "No state can transfer another country's citizen to a third country and put restriction on their freedom."

The five detainees left Guantanamo on Saturday aboard a US military aircraft flying to Qatar, which served as go-between in the negotiations. They are to be banned from leaving Qatar for at least a year.
 

Bergdahl was held captive for five years before his release Saturday. He is believed to have been held by the Haqqani network.