The Taliban, currently the de-facto rulers of Afghanistan, have reportedly reached an agreement with U.S. officials regarding a prisoner exchange.
However, the specifics of this agreement remain undisclosed, and the U.S. has yet to confirm the existence of such a deal.
According to American Military News, the Taliban released images of a meeting that took place in Kabul on September 13. The meeting involved Adam Boehler, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for hostage affairs, and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
"Adam Boehler, referring to the issue of detained citizens between Afghanistan and the United States, said both countries will exchange prisoners," stated the office of Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar following the meeting.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio did not confirm the imminent exchange, only stating that Boehler had traveled to Kabul to "explore what's possible." Rubio, while departing Washington for a Middle East trip, told reporters, "Our special envoy for people unlawfully detained has been having conversations for a while."
He added that any decisions regarding trades or exchanges would be made by the President, but emphasized the U.S.'s desire for the release of any unlawfully detained Americans.
Hamdullah Fitrat, a Taliban government spokesman, noted that "both sides emphasized that they will continue to discuss various existing and future issues in bilateral relations, especially those citizens who are imprisoned in both countries." The Taliban Foreign Ministry, in a statement, highlighted the focus of discussions on bilateral relations with the U.S. and the necessity for ongoing talks, particularly concerning prisoner exchanges. However, the statement did not disclose the number of detainees in each country, their identities, or the reasons for their detention.
Among the most notable Americans believed to be held in Afghanistan is Mahmood Habibi, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen who previously headed the Afghan Aviation Authority under the former U.S.-allied Afghan government. Since his arrest in August 2022, his status has been uncertain, with the Taliban denying his detention. Habibi's family claims that the Taliban handed him over to the Al-Qaeda terror group, while the U.S. has offered a $5 million reward for his return.
Another American, George Glezmann, a 66-year-old airline mechanic, was released in March during Boehler's visit to Kabul after more than two years in detention. Glezmann was the third American freed by the Taliban since Trump's return to the presidency in January.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan, accompanied Boehler to the Kabul meeting but has not yet commented on the matter.
Since the Taliban's overthrow of the U.S.-backed government in August 2021, dozens of foreign nationals have been arrested by the de-facto authorities. The Taliban, grappling with unrest, natural disasters, and widespread poverty, are striving to improve relations with the international community, particularly the United States, to strengthen their rule.
Russia is currently the only country to officially recognize the Taliban government, which has been widely accused of human rights violations, particularly against women. Afghanistan was recently struck by a devastating earthquake in the remote mountainous province of Kunar on August 31, resulting in over 2,200 deaths and more than 3,600 injuries.
This disaster obliterated entire villages in the region, further exacerbating the nation's challenges.
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