RASC News Agency: After extensive negotiations between the United States and the Taliban regarding a prisoner exchange, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty have been released by the group and have returned to Washington. According to a report by CNN, the exchange took place on Tuesday, January 21, in Qatar. The two American detainees were freed in exchange for Khan Mohammad, a former member of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. This significant development occurred on the final day of Joe Biden’s administration. Reports indicate that the prisoner swap was facilitated through joint efforts by the national security teams of both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration. The deal was the culmination of two years of negotiations, during which senior White House and State Department officials made several visits to Doha to engage with Taliban representatives.
The Taliban have confirmed the release of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, noting that the exchange involved Khan Mohammad. While the group has not provided specific details about Khan Mohammad’s detention or charges, CNN reported that he was apprehended in Nangarhar Province approximately two decades ago on charges related to terrorism and drug trafficking. He had been serving a life sentence in a California prison. Earlier reports from U.S. officials had suggested that three American nationals were held by the Taliban. However, CNN, citing President Biden’s office, stated that George Glezman and Mahmoud Habibi remain in Taliban custody.
The Taliban have denied holding Mahmoud Habibi, an Afghanistani-American citizen. The prisoner exchange was finalized on the first official day of Donald Trump’s presidency. Ryan Corbett, George Glezman, and Mahmoud Habibi were reportedly detained by the Taliban in Kabul in 2022. This exchange underscores the complex and ongoing challenges surrounding U.S.-Taliban relations, as well as the persistent humanitarian and political dilemmas in Afghanistan.
