Taliban Releases 2 American In High-Profile Prisoner Swap
Date
1/21/2025 3:15:56 AM
(MENAFN- Khaama Press) Following negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban over prisoner exchanges, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were released by the Taliban and have returned to Washington.
CNN reported that the exchange occurred on Tuesday, January 21, in Qatar. The Taliban released Ryan Corbett and William Wallace McKenty in exchange for Khan Mohammed, who was freed from a U.S. federal prison.
Before leaving office, Mr. Biden granted Khan Mohammed a conditional commutation, which was revealed only after Mr. McKenty and Mr. Corbett were released.
The exchange was finalized on the last day of Joe Biden's presidency, following collaboration between Biden and Trump's national security advisors.
The agreement was the result of two years of negotiations and multiple visits by White House and U.S. State Department officials to Doha to meet with Taliban representatives.
The Taliban confirmed the release of the two Americans in exchange for Khan Mohammad. According to CNN, Mohammad was convicted in California two decades ago on charges related to terrorism and drug trafficking.
Earlier, U.S. officials had mentioned three Americans in Taliban custody. However, CNN, citing Biden's office, reported that George Golzman and Mahmoud Habibi remain detained, though the Taliban denies holding Habibi, an Afghan-American citizen.
This high-profile prisoner exchange highlights the complex dynamics of U.S.-Taliban relations, emphasizing ongoing negotiations and their implications for diplomatic ties between the two parties.
While Ryan Corbett and William McKenty's release marks progress, the continued detention of Americans like George Golzman underscores unresolved tensions. The exchange raises critical questions about the future of U.S.-Taliban engagement under Donald Trump's administration.
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