Afghan Taliban frees American after two years of detention

KABUL: Taliban authorities freed US citizen George Glezmann after more than two years of detention, in a deal brokered by Qatar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced.

The release was announced after the Taliban government’s foreign minister hosted US hostage envoy Adam Boehler and other US officials in the Afghan capital.

“Today, after two and a half years of captivity in Afghanistan, Delta Airlines mechanic George Glezmann is on his way to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra,” Rubio said in a statement.

“George’s release is a positive and constructive step. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan,” he added.

Glezmann was en route to Qatar, a source with knowledge of the release told AFP.

Ahead of the announcement, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi hosted Boehler, who was accompanied by Washington’s former envoy to Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad, the ministry said.

“Today is a good day,” Khalilzad said on X.

The Taliban authorities decided to free Glezmann on “humanitarian grounds” and as a “goodwill gesture”.

The prisoner release reflects “Afghanistan’s readiness to genuinely engaging all sides, particularly the United States of America, on the basis of mutual respect and interests”, a foreign ministry statement said.

The US delegation was the first from Washington since US President Donald Trump took office in January, foreign ministry spokesman Hafiz Zia Ahmad told AFP.

Contacts between the two sides since the Taliban returned to power in 2021 has usually taken place in third countries.

– ‘New chapter’ –

Taliban authorities announced late last month the arrest of a Chinese-American woman on February 1 in the province of Bamiyan, a tourist attraction west of Kabul known for its giant Buddhas until they were destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban.

Officials have refused to detail the reasons for her arrest.

At least one other American, Mahmood Habibi, is detained in Afghanistan.

In July, Kabul announced it was in discussions with Washington over a prisoner exchange.

The talks took place in Qatar during an international conference that brought together UN representatives, Taliban authorities, and envoys for Afghanistan — generally those based in neighbouring countries or within the region.

Pakistan concerned over US weapons left in Afghanistan: FO

In January, two Americans detained in Afghanistan — Ryan Corbett and William McKenty — were freed in exchange for an Afghan fighter, Khan Mohammed, who was convicted of narco-terrorism in the United States.

Two weeks later, a Canadian former soldier, David Lavery, was released after more than two months held in Afghanistan, in a deal brokered by Qatar.

Trump signed a peace deal with the Taliban authorities during his first term in office and, following his re-election, the Kabul government expressed hopes for a “new chapter” with Washington.

The government in Kabul is not recognised by any country, but several including Russia, China and Turkey have kept their embassies open in the Afghan capital.

Delegations from these countries, both diplomatic and economic, make frequent visits to Kabul.

The Taliban government also reports less frequent visits from Western officials, notably British and Norwegian.