KABUL, Afghanistan, May 18 (UPI) -- A former foreign minister in Afghanistan's Taliban regime, Wakil Mutawakil, wants to run for parliament in September's national elections.
Mutawakil filed paperwork in the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar, Afghanistan, to run for the lower house, or Wolesi Jirga.
While he must win approval to appear on the September ballot, the Afghan government has said it wants to bring certain Taliban members back into the political system, the BBC reported.
Mutawakil, who spent three years in custody, is the only major Taliban figure that U.S. forces arrested and later released.
In his first interview since his release from house arrest in Kabul, Mutawakil was unapologetic for many aspects of the Taliban's rule while admitting Osama bin Laden brought suffering to Afghanistan.
Mutawakil also said he approves of educating girls as along as it is in keeping the Afghan culture.
