Taliban Announces Release of Two Americans in Prisoner Swap in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON—A prisoner exchange between the United States and the Taliban of Afghanistan has resulted in the release of two Americans in return for a Taliban operative who was serving a life sentence in California for drug trafficking and terrorism offenses, officials disclosed on Tuesday.

The exchange involving Ryan Corbett and William McKenty was facilitated prior to President Joe Biden’s departure from office on Monday, according to a Trump administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry in Kabul confirmed that the two U.S. citizens were traded for Khan Mohammed, who was handed two life sentences in 2008.

Biden, who managed the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, transferred authority back to President Donald Trump. The Taliban lauded the exchange as a positive step towards the “normalization” of relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan, though such normalization appears challenging, as most nations still do not recognize Taliban governance and another two Americans are thought to be detained.

The Trump administration publicly welcomed the release and expressed gratitude to Qatar for its role in facilitating the deal, while urging the Taliban to liberate other Americans currently in Afghanistan.

“The Trump Administration will persist in demanding the release of all Americans held by the Taliban, particularly given the billions in U.S. aid received by them in recent years,” stated Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council.

Involved in the exchange are the U.S., the Taliban, and Qatar. Corbett, who resided in Afghanistan with his family during the collapse of the U.S.-backed government in 2021, was detained by the Taliban in August 2022 while on a business trip.

“We are overwhelmed with gratitude and thank God for keeping Ryan safe and returning him home after 894 of the most difficult days of our lives,” stated the family. They extended thanks to both Trump and Biden, along with numerous government officials, for their role in securing his release.

Corbett’s family also expressed appreciation for Qatar, acknowledging their crucial involvement in facilitating Ryan’s release and for visiting him as the United States’ Protecting Power in Afghanistan. Qatar, rich in energy resources, has mediated negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban over the years.

A statement from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry recognized the country’s involvement in the exchange, noting that all exchanged parties passed through Doha en route to their respective nations.

Qatar aspires that “this agreement will pave the way for further understandings and peaceful resolutions of disputes,” as indicated in their statement.

The circumstances regarding McKenty’s activities in Afghanistan remain unclear.

Khan Mohammed, 55, was imprisoned in California following his 2008 conviction. The Bureau of Prisons on Tuesday listed him as no longer in custody.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, a deputy spokesperson of the Taliban Foreign Ministry, reported that Mohammed had returned to Afghanistan and reunited with his family. Photographs released by the Taliban depicted him welcomed home in Nangarhar province with colorful garlands.

Mohammed declared to Taliban-controlled media that he had spent time incarcerated in both Bagram and Washington, D.C.

“It brings joy to see your family and return to your homeland. The greatest joy comes from reuniting with your Muslim brothers,” he stated.

He was captured on the battlefield in Nangarhar and subsequently transported to the U.S. A federal jury convicted him on charges of acquiring heroin and opium that were destined for the U.S., thereby facilitating terrorist activities.

The Justice Department at that time labeled Mohammed as “a violent jihadist and narcotics trafficker” who “sought to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan using rockets.” He was the inaugural individual to be convicted under U.S. narco-terrorism laws.

Ahmed Rashid, an author well-versed in Afghanistan and the Taliban, described Mohammed as “the most significant drug smuggler the U.S. confronted and a chief financier of the Taliban.”

Before Biden’s departure from office, his administration was attempting to broker a deal for Corbett’s release along with George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi in return for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was captured by the Taliban’s intelligence agency in December 2022 while traveling in the region. Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman affiliated with a Kabul-based telecommunications company, also vanished in 2022. The Taliban have denied having Habibi.

Habibi’s family expressed their support for the exchange and their confidence that the Trump administration would exert “more effort” to secure his release, voicing their dissatisfaction with Biden’s administration.

“We are aware they possess evidence that my brother is alive and in Taliban custody, which could have influenced the Taliban to admit they have him,” stated Habibi’s brother, Ahmed, in comments shared by the nonprofit Global Reach.

Biden officials have allegedly “refused to use” this evidence, he contended. “We know Trump is result-oriented and we trust he will employ every available resource to bring Mahmood home.”

In their effort to gain international recognition, the Taliban characterized the exchange as the result of “prolonged and fruitful negotiations” with the U.S., citing it as an example of resolving issues through dialogue.

“The Islamic Emirate views the actions of the United States positively, which aids in normalizing and fostering relations between both countries,” they remarked.

The Taliban have endeavored to gain recognition internationally, partly to mitigate the economic crisis stemming from their takeover. Billions in international funds were frozen, and many skilled Afghans fled the country, taking their resources with them.

Nonetheless, some states have welcomed Taliban officials, including the United Arab Emirates, which encompasses Abu Dhabi and Dubai. On Tuesday, Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan again met with Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who also leads the Haqqani network, known for its involvement in numerous violent attacks against Afghanistan’s previous Western-backed regime.

Haqqani is still sought by the U.S. with a bounty of up to $10 million due to his participation in an attack that resulted in the death of an American citizen, among other assaults. The meeting transpired despite the UAE’s close ties with the U.S.

By Zeke Miller, Jon Gambrell and Aamer Madhani