Two Americans detained by Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have been released in exchange for an Afghan prisoner held in the United States on drug trafficking and terrorism charges.
The freed Americans, Ryan Corbett and William Wallace McKenty, were part of a deal brokered shortly before President Joe Biden left office.
The Afghan detainee, Khan Mohammad, who had been serving a life sentence in a California federal prison, returned to Afghanistan.
The Taliban government in Kabul announced the agreement in a statement:
“An Afghan fighter, Khan Mohammad, imprisoned in America, has been released in exchange for American citizens and returned to the country.”
Ryan Corbett’s family confirmed his release, expressing deep gratitude to both the outgoing Biden administration and Qatar for their vital roles in the negotiations.
“Today, our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him back home after the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives,” the family said.
Mr Corbett, who had lived in Afghanistan with his family for years, was detained by the Taliban over two years ago during a business trip. Details about Mr McKenty remain scarce, as his family has requested privacy.
Khan Mohammad, a Taliban member captured during the U.S. military engagement in Afghanistan, had been jailed since 2008.
His sentence was commuted by President Biden just before leaving office. Upon his return to Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan, Mohammad spoke to local media, lauding the exchange as a triumph of diplomacy.
The Taliban’s foreign ministry called the deal the result of “long and fruitful negotiations” and framed it as a step toward better relations between Kabul and Washington.
“The Islamic Emirate looks positively at the actions of the United States of America that help the normalization and development of relations between the two countries,” the statement said.
While the exchange marks a significant diplomatic moment, it is unlikely to drastically alter U.S.-Afghan relations, as the Taliban government remains unrecognized internationally. However, the move could pave the way for further negotiations.
Two other Americans—George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi—are believed to still be in Afghanistan. The Taliban have also requested the release of another Afghan detainee held at Guantanamo Bay.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, during a rally on the eve of his inauguration, threatened to cut humanitarian aid to Afghanistan unless the Taliban returned military equipment seized after the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.
A 2022 Department of Defense report estimated the value of abandoned U.S. military equipment at $7 billion.