KABUL: Adam Boehler, the special envoy from the United States, made an important visit to Kabul on Saturday. During his trip, he announced that the U.S. plans to move ahead with a prisoner exchange involving detained citizens from both countries, according to officials from the Taliban government.
In a statement after his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, Boehler highlighted the commitment to exchange prisoners, although no specific date for this exchange has been set. Currently, one American citizen, Mahmood Habibi, is known to be held in Afghanistan. The U.S. is offering a reward of $5 million for any information that can help locate him, while the Taliban has denied any connections to Habibi’s disappearance in 2022.
Another American, George Glezmann, an airline mechanic, was released earlier this year after being detained for more than two years. His release occurred during a previous visit to Kabul by Boehler in March.
Boehler, who was accompanied by former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, also held discussions about prisoners with Amir Khan Muttaqi, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister. After their talks, government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat shared that both parties are committed to continuing discussions on various issues, particularly concerning imprisoned citizens in both nations.
Since the Taliban regained control in August 2021, many foreign nationals have been detained. Recently, Russia announced the release of an ethnologist who had been held in Afghanistan for almost two months. The Russian foreign ministry stated that the ethnologist was released at the request of Russia, highlighting their friendly relationship with the Taliban.
Russia remains the only country to officially recognize the Taliban government. Earlier this year, two Americans were freed in exchange for an Afghan fighter, Khan Mohammed, who had been convicted of narco-terrorism in the U.S.
The Taliban government has expressed a desire to foster good relations with various countries, particularly the United States, despite the long history of conflict. The foreign minister reiterated the call for a “return to normal relations,” indicating that there are no “irresolvable problems” between the countries. Meanwhile, several nations, such as Pakistan, China, Turkey, the UAE, and Iran, have continued to keep their embassies operational since 2021.
