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Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Freed in Exchange for Transfer of Five GTMO Detainees
Published by The Lawfare Institute
in Cooperation With
Some wonderful (and quite NDAA-relevant) news, here reported by Talking Points Memo:
The officials said the Taliban agreed to turn over Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for the release of five Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The transfers happened after a week of intense negotiations mediated by the government of Qatar, which will take custody of the Afghans. In a statement, President Barack Obama said Bergdahl's recovery "is a reminder of America's unwavering commitment to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield." Officials said the Taliban turned the 28-year-old Bergdahl over Saturday evening, local time, in Afghanistan. Several dozen U.S. special forces were involved in the exchange, which took place in eastern Afghanistan, near the Pakistani border.
More details may be forthcoming about the five Afghan detainees---who reportedly will be transferred to Qatari custody. The New York Times also covers the story.
Wells C. Bennett was Managing Editor of Lawfare and a Fellow in National Security Law at the Brookings Institution. Before coming to Brookings, he was an Associate at Arnold & Porter LLP.
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