Qatar agreed to temporarily prolong the travel ban for five senior Taliban leaders, said a senior U.S. official Sunday.
The travel ban was scheduled to expire Monday, causing some to warn of a possible national security threat if the former prisoners were to return to Afghanistan.
The U.S. official said the ban would continue until a “longer-term solution” is reached, according to The Associated Press. The official told the AP under anonymity the U.S. plans to remain in contact with Qatari authorities as they extensively monitor the Taliban 5 to ensure they do not pose a threat to national security.
Related: What is the next step for Bergdahl?
The highly criticized swap received negative reviews from House Republicans and soldiers who served with Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said some of the former prisoners may have already met with members of the al Qaeda-affiliated Haqqani network while in Qatar, according to The Hill. The House Armed Services Committee is reviewing the Obama Administration’s decision to conduct the prisoner swap of the Taliban and Bergdahl without prior notice. The prisoner swap of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners was executed a year ago. Bergdahl was charged with desertion in March after walking off base five years ago in Afghanistan.
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