This household photograph reveals Ryan Corbett holding rabbits together with his daughter Miriam and son Caleb in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2020.
Anna Corbett/AP/Anna Corbett
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Anna Corbett/AP/Anna Corbett
ISLAMABAD — A prisoner swap between the USA and Afghanistan’s Taliban freed two Individuals in trade for a Taliban determine imprisoned for all times in California on drug trafficking fees, officers stated Tuesday.
The deal got here as President Joe Biden, who oversaw the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, handed energy over to returning President Donald Trump. The Taliban praised the swap as a step towards the “normalization” of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan, however that probably stays a tall order as most international locations on this planet nonetheless do not acknowledge the militants’ rule.
The Taliban’s International Ministry in Kabul confirmed the swap, saying two unidentified U.S. residents had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to 2 phrases of life imprisonment in 2008.
The household of Ryan Corbett, one American held by the Taliban, confirmed he had been launched in an announcement. Corbett, who had lived in Afghanistan together with his household on the time of the 2021 collapse of the U.S.-backed authorities, was kidnapped by the Taliban in August 2022 whereas on a enterprise journey.
“Our hearts are stuffed with overwhelming gratitude and reward to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him again dwelling after what has been probably the most difficult and unsure 894 days of our lives,” the household’s assertion stated. They thanked each Trump and Biden, in addition to many authorities officers, for his or her efforts in liberating him.
Corbett’s household additionally praised the Center East nation of Qatar for “for his or her important position in facilitating Ryan’s launch, and for his or her visits to Ryan as the USA’ Defending Energy in Afghanistan.” Power-rich Qatar, which hosted negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban over time, didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Earlier than Biden left workplace, his administration had been attempting to work out a deal to free Corbett in addition to George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi in trade for Muhammad Rahim, one of many remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was taken by the Taliban’s intelligence companies in December 2022 whereas touring by way of the nation. Habibi, an Afghan American businessman who labored as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications firm, additionally went lacking in 2022. The Taliban has denied that it has Habibi.
It wasn’t instantly clear if both of the 2 males was the opposite launched. Officers in Washington didn’t reply to requests for remark early Tuesday after Trump’s inauguration the day earlier than.
The Taliban known as the trade the results of “lengthy and fruitful negotiations” with the U.S. and stated it was instance of fixing issues by way of dialogue.
“The Islamic Emirate appears positively on the actions of the USA of America that assist the normalization and improvement of relations between the 2 international locations,” it stated.
The Taliban has been attempting to make inroads in being acknowledged, partly to flee the financial tailspin attributable to its takeover. Billions in worldwide funds have been frozen, and tens of hundreds of extremely expert Afghans fled the nation and took their cash with them.
