The Taliban is newly invigorated by President Obama’s swap of five high-level terror suspects for U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, a commander for the group told Time magazine Thursday.
“It’s better to kidnap one person like Bergdahl than kidnapping hundreds of useless people,” the commander said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media, the magazine reported.
“It has encouraged our people. Now everybody will work hard to capture such an important bird,” he said.
Time said the commander has been known to the magazine for several years and “has consistently supplied reliable information about Bergdahl’s captivity.”
Hours after news of the prisoner swap broke on Sunday, Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar circulated a rare statement calling it a “great victory.”
Critics have argued that the deal set a precedent in trading soldiers for terrorists, and that the U.S. has now set its price.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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