Islamabad, Pakistan — A prisoner swap between the US and Afghanistan’s Taliban freed two People in alternate for a Taliban determine imprisoned for all times in California on drug trafficking prices, officers stated Tuesday.
The deal got here as President Joe Biden, who oversaw the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, handed energy over to returning President Donald Trump.
The Taliban praised the swap as a step towards the “normalization” of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan however that doubtless stays a tall order as most international locations on the planet nonetheless do not acknowledge the militants’ rule.
The Taliban’s Overseas Ministry in Kabul confirmed the swap, saying two unidentified U.S. residents had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to 2 phrases of life imprisonment in 2008.
In a press release, the household of Ryan Corbett, one American held by the Taliban, confirmed he’d been launched. Corbett, who lived in Afghanistan along with his household on the time of the 2021 collapse of the U.S.-backed authorities, was kidnapped by the Taliban in August 2022 whereas on a enterprise journey.
Courtesy Corbett household
“Our hearts are full of overwhelming gratitude and reward to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him again dwelling after what has been probably the most difficult and unsure 894 days of our lives,” the household’s assertion stated. They thanked each Mr. Trump and Biden, in addition to many officers of each administrations, for his or her efforts in releasing him.
Corbett’s household additionally praised the Center East nation of Qatar for its “important function in facilitating Ryan’s launch, and for his or her visits to Ryan as the US’ Defending Energy in Afghanistan.” Vitality-rich Qatar, which has hosted negotiations between the U.S. and Taliban over time, did not instantly reply to requests for remark.
Earlier than Biden left workplace, his administration had been making an attempt to work out a deal to free Corbett in addition to George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi in alternate for Muhammad Rahim, one of many remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Final week, Biden spoke with relatives of the three Americans however there was no deal to get them again at the moment, members of the family stated.
Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was taken by the Taliban’s intelligence companies in December 2022 whereas touring via the nation. Habibi, an Afghan American businessman who labored as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications firm, additionally went lacking in 2022. The Taliban has denied that it has Habibi.
It wasn’t instantly clear if both of the 2 males was the opposite launched. Officers in Washington did not reply to requests for remark early Tuesday after Mr. Trump’s inauguration the day earlier than.
The Corbett household assertion stated, “It was our hope that Ryan, George and Mahmoud can be returned to their households collectively, and we can not think about the ache that our luck will convey them. We acknowledge the immense privilege of our household’s reunion immediately, and pledge to maintain praying – and preventing – for George and Mahmoud’s swift launch.”
The Taliban referred to as the alternate the results of “lengthy and fruitful negotiations” with the U.S. and stated it was a great instance of fixing issues via dialogue.
“The Islamic Emirate appears to be like positively on the actions of the US of America that assist the normalization and improvement of relations between the 2 international locations,” it stated.
The Taliban has been making an attempt to make inroads in being acknowledged, partly to flee the financial tailspin attributable to its takeover. Billions in worldwide funds have been frozen and tens of 1000’s of extremely expert Afghans fled the nation and took their cash with them.
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