Video reportedly shows freed Taliban prisoners celebrating
DOHAR, Qatar -- A Taliban propaganda video claims to show the five men celebrating their freedom, shortly after arriving in Qatar. They haven't been seen in public there since.
They're not allowed to leave Qatar for 12 months, but when the year is up, they'll be free to go wherever they choose.
Their temporary home is the wealthiest country in the world, a tiny Arabian state, smaller than Connecticut, that uses its oil riches to gain influence in the Middle East.
"Qatar has the best relationship with the United States -- it's our main ally," said Abdullah al-Athbah, who edits a newspaper in Qatar owned by a member of Qatar's royal family.
Al-Athbah said the released detainees will be "under our security radar here."
"But in the same time, they will have their freedom to move, to go to malls, if they want to go to movies, to watch a movie, they have a right to do that," he added.
But others in Qatar won't be so welcoming, including restaurant owner Rahmatullah Jalili. He told us he fled Afghanistan in 2008 because it was no longer safe for his family and that he does not think it's a good thing the Taliban leaders were let out of prison.
"If a person do any bad thing, they should punish them," he said. "They should punish them."
Part of Qatar's strategy for building its influence in this part of the world has been to play the peacemaker. In 2012, Qatar allowed the Taliban to open an office in the country. Brokering the prison swap also affirms Qatar's position as a key U.S. ally in the Middle East.
