The Trump Administration ordered the release of a Iranian woman who killed an American civilian advisor in Afghanistan in 2012 as part of its attempt to secure a peace agreement with the Taliban, the New York Times reports.

Nargis Mohammad Hasan had been in an Afghan jail since she killed the civilian contractor, Joseph Griffin, 49, of Mansfield, Georgia, in a “blue on green” murder at a US military base–Hasan was an Afghani police officer at the time of the murder.  She didn’t claim to be a member of the Taliban, nor did the Taliban acknowledge her as a member

But for some reason, she was released from jail this past fall at the Taliban’s request as the Trump Administration sought to gain a diplomatic victory in the run up to the November US presidential elections.

US military and national security officials objected to Hasan’s release, but the Trump Administration insisted on it as negotiations continued between the Taliban and Afghan government officials continue in Qatar.

With Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in charge of negotiations, the US pushed the Afghan government for the release 5,000 Taliban or affiliated prisoners.  US allies like France and Australia objected to releasing prisoners who had killed their citizens.

As part of an agreement between the Taliban and the US announced in February 2020, Pompeo told US allies “there was no alternative but to move forward with the prisoner releases as the parties had agreed.”

Another part of the agreement required the Taliban to stop insurgent attacks on US forces as they prepared to withdraw.  However, the Taliban haven’t upheld their part of the agreement, and the Trump Administration doesn’t announce or acknowledge attacks have occured.

For example, last month a car bomb exploded at Camp Chapman, a long-term CIA outpost in Afghanistan.  No Americans were injured, but one Afghan soldier was killed and several wounded.