Afghan Taliban member freed from US custody in exchange for two Americans, Kabul says

KABUL (Reuters) -The United States has freed an Afghan convicted by an American tribunal connected charges of cause smuggling and coercion successful speech for 2 U.S. citizens held successful Afghanistan, authorities successful Kabul said connected Tuesday.

Afghan officials said the man, Khan Mohammad, had landed successful Kabul aft being released. Mohammad was sentenced to beingness imprisonment successful 2008 by a U.S. court, which was the archetypal condemnation connected narco-terrorism charges, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Mohammad told section media organisation Hurriyat successful a video interrogation connected Tuesday that helium had near situation connected Jan. 16.

"Thanks to the enactment and assistance of the Islamic Emirate and, by God's grace, I was freed," helium said, referring to the Taliban's sanction for its government.

The captive speech was the effect of "long and productive" negotiations betwixt Afghan and American authorities, Afghanistan's overseas ministry said successful a statement.

Mohammad was arrested successful eastbound Afghanistan successful 2006 and extradited to the U.S a twelvemonth later, according to the DOJ website.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban administration, confirmed that 2 Americans had been released, but declined to place them.

One of the Americans released was named Ryan Corbett, according to a connection connected a tract tally by his family. Corbett had been successful Taliban detention since 2022, the household tract said.

"We are overwhelmed with joyousness that Ryan is connected his mode home," the household said connected the site.

CNN and the New York Times (NYSE:) reported connected Sunday that the different American released was William McKenty.

"The Islamic Emirate views the actions of the United States positively erstwhile they lend to normalizing and expanding relations betwixt the 2 countries," Afghanistan's overseas ministry connection said.

It thanked Qatar for its relation successful the exchange.

WHO WERE THE MEN RELEASED?

According to the DOJ website, Mohammad was a subordinate of the Afghan Taliban who had been sentenced to beingness imprisonment connected 2 counts astatine the property of 38 successful the archetypal ever narcotics-terrorism charges brought successful the United States.

The website quoted tribunal records saying Mohammad was "a convulsive jihadist and narcotics trafficker" who "sought to termination U.S. soldiers successful Afghanistan utilizing rockets".

Corbett's household said helium ran a non-government enactment called Bloom Afghanistan, which was a societal endeavor focused connected strengthening Afghanistan’s backstage sector.

He was successful Afghanistan to renew his concern visa successful 2022 erstwhile helium was detained by the Taliban.

McKenty's household had asked the U.S. authorities to support his details private, according to the New York Times.

The captive speech was years successful the making and yet struck successful the precise past hours of Democratic erstwhile President Joe Biden's clip successful bureau earlier Republican President Donald Trump took implicit connected Monday, CNN reported.

"It's notable that the Taliban waited for Trump," said Graeme Smith, elder expert astatine International Crisis Group.

"Of people it was negotiated by the Biden administration, and I deliberation the outgoing medication laid the groundwork for further imaginable deals,” helium added, referring to the talks implicit different Americans detained successful Afghanistan arsenic good arsenic Muhammad Rahim al-Afghani, a high-profile captive held in Guantanamo Bay.

Biden's medication had been negotiating with the Taliban since astatine slightest July astir a U.S. connection to merchandise 3 Americans, including Ryan Corbett but besides George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi - successful speech for al-Afghani, Reuters reported this month, citing a root acquainted with the discussions.

The New York Times reported that Glezmann and Habibi remained successful Afghanistan aft this week's release.

Glezmann is simply a erstwhile hose mechanic. Mahmood Habibi, a naturalized American, was seized soon aft a U.S. onslaught successful Afghanistan killed Ayman al-Zawahri, the person of Al Qaeda, the New York Times said.

Corbett's household praised some the Trump and Biden administrations for the speech but expressed regret that Glezmann and Habibi were besides not freed, according to a statement.