Following long but fruitful talks, Afghan national Khan Mohammad has been swapped for two Americans held in Afghanistan, Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) confirmed on Tuesday.
“At the conclusion of lengthy and productive negotiations between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) and the US, Afghan prisoner Khan Mohammad was freed in exchange for two US nationals and transferred to Afghanistan,” the ministry said.
Khan Mohammad, sentenced to life in prison by a US court, was being held in California. He was arrested nearly two decades ago in eastern Nangarhar province, MoFA recalled in a statement.
Taliban billed the prisoner swap agreement as a good example of talking out issues, thanking the Qatari government for playing a positive role in sealing deal.
The Taliban said it positively viewed the US administration’s step, which would hopefully contribute to the normalisation and improvement of relations between the two countries.
The MoFA statement did not say give the number US nationals swapped for Khan Mohammad, but CNN reported two Americans had been released under the deal.
The Americans were identified as Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, whose release came during Joe Biden’s final hours in office.
The plan was communicated to Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz by Biden’s adviser Jake Sullivan, the report said. “They are on board with this deal. They have acknowledged it, and they have not objected.”
Earlier, CNN had reported the US government was in discussions with IEA for months about a deal to free three US nationals (Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann and Mahmoud Habibi).
The US nationals were detained in 2022 in Afghanistan, the American broadcaster had said.
The US had offered releasing Guantanamo Bay prisoner (Muhammad Rahim) in return for the three Americans detained in Afghanistan.
CNN did not say if the interim government in Kabul had sought the release of Muhammad Rahim in exchange for the two Americans.
However, Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid had previously said only two Americans were detained in Afghanistan and Kabul was ready to swap them for Afghan detainees in the US.
Mujahid had clarified that Mahmoud Shah Habibi was not in the custody with them.
aw/mud
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