Taliban official says US envoy agrees to prisoner swap in Kabul meeting

The reported sojourn follows 1 successful March 2025 which led to the merchandise of a US national held for much than 2 years successful Afghanistan.

United States officials person agreed to a captive speech aft a uncommon speech with the authorities successful Kabul, according to the Taliban administration’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Adam Boehler, the Trump administration’s peculiar envoy for hostage response, and Zalmay Khalilzad, a erstwhile US peculiar envoy for Afghanistan, met with the Taliban’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 4Afghan survivors conflict successful the aftermath of deadly earthquake
• list 2 of 4Video: Al Jazeera reports from Afghanistan earthquake zone
• list 3 of 4Hundreds of earthquake-hit villages successful Afghanistan inactive not reached: UN
• list 4 of 4‘My colony is simply a graveyard’: Afghans picture devastation aft earthquake

“Adam Boehler, referring to the contented of detained citizens betwixt Afghanistan and the United States, said that some countries volition speech prisoners,” lawman premier curate Abdul Ghani Baradar’s bureau said aft their meeting.

There was nary contiguous connection from Washington regarding the meeting, and Khalilzad did not instantly respond to a telephone telephone from Reuters erstwhile asked for comment.

Mahmood Habibi, a naturalised US national and businessman who antecedently worked for a telecommunications institution successful Kabul, is the highest-profile American detainee, according to Washington. The US is offering a $5 cardinal reward for accusation to find him, with the Taliban authorities denying immoderate engagement successful his 2022 disappearance.

The Taliban has reportedly pressed for the merchandise of Muhammad Rahim, the past Afghan nationalist held astatine Guantanamo Bay, who has been detained without complaint since 2008.

Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba [File: Alex Brandon/AP]

Another American, hose mechanic George Glezmann, was freed aft much than 2 years successful detention during a March sojourn to Kabul by Boehler.

That deal, mediated by Qatar, was described by the Taliban arsenic a “humanitarian” motion and a “sign of goodwill”.

Before that, successful January 2025, the 2 sides carried retired a captive speech successful which US citizens Ryan Corbett and William Wallace McKenty were released successful speech for Khan Mohammad, an Afghan nationalist serving 2 beingness sentences successful the US.

Both sides besides agreed to proceed discussions regarding nationals imprisoned successful each other’s countries, the connection added.

The Taliban administration, which took powerfulness successful 2021 aft 20 years of US subject involution successful Afghanistan, is not recognised by Washington.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies