Taliban releases US citizen Amir Amiri after Qatari mediation

Through Qatari mediation, an American national who has been held in Afghanistan since December was freed.

Amir Amiri’s release on Sunday, which saw him return to power in Afghanistan after 20 years of US occupation and hostility, is the fifth US citizen to be freed by the Taliban’s rulers.

According to sources with knowledge of the situation, negotiations broke out several months after Qatari officials first met with the US special envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler. This weekend was the breakthrough that led to his release, according to them.

Amiri’s release, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, showed the US government’s commitment to preventing unlawful detention for foreigners.

He said, “While this represents a significant step forward, additional Americans are still being held in Afghanistan inhumanely.” “President]Donald] Trump won’t be at rest until all of our captives are home,” he said.

Amiri was detained, but Rubio did not provide more information.

Ryan Corbett, William McKenty, George Glezmann, and Faye Hall are the other four American citizens who have been released this year.

A British couple’s release on September 19 was also aided by Qatar, a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. They spent months in prison.

Since the US-backed government seized Kabul on August 15, 2021, and its leaders fled into exile, Qatar has been assisting the Trump administration in facilitating the release of captives.

Doha has maintained diplomatic contacts with the Taliban to facilitate dialogue and open the door to contentious negotiations even though no other country in the world officially recognizes the Taliban-led government there.

Amiri was traveling to Doha, according to Qatar’s foreign minister, and would then travel to the US.

Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, the minister of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated in a statement on X that his announcement “serves as a significant step toward fostering direct dialogue and improving communication channels between parties.”