Taliban have negotiated prisoner exchange with the USA
The Taliban ruling in Afghanistan have reportedly held negotiations with the US over a prisoner swap. Two US citizens are currently in custody in Afghanistan, Taliban spokesperson Sabihullah Mujahid told journalists in Kabul on a Wednesday. Discussions have reportedly taken place on the sidelines of a meeting with UN representatives and diplomats from various countries in Qatar. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West also participated in the talks. Mujahid stated on a Wednesday: "We should be able to release our citizens in return, because the US citizens are valuable to them - just as the Afghans are valuable to us." He made no mention of the names of the two imprisoned US citizens.
Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan in August 2021, dozens of foreign nationals have been arrested. It is known that a US citizen, along with other international staff of a non-governmental organization, was arrested in September last year. Ryan Corbett, a humanitarian worker, has been imprisoned in Afghanistan since 2022.
Many countries, including Germany, advise their citizens against traveling to Afghanistan and refer to the risk of kidnappings or arbitrary detentions in their travel advisories.
After the Taliban and the USA engaged in prisoner exchange negotiations, details regarding the release of the two US citizens in Afghan custody remain undisclosed. Since the Taliban's rise to power in Afghanistan, numerous foreign nationals, including Ryan Corbett, a US citizen from a non-governmental organization, have been imprisoned.
