Taliban Foreign Minister Meets US Envoy To Discuss Release Of Prisoners

Kabul, Afghanistan/ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Mohammad Husaini

JAKARTA - Afghanistan's Foreign Minister met with the US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler on Thursday. The two discussed the release of prisoners.

"During this meeting, discussions were held on Afghanistan-US bilateral relations, release of prisoners, and provision of consular services for Afghans in the United States," the Afghan Foreign Ministry (Taliban) said.

The meeting was also attended by former US special representatives for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad.

Earlier, the United States released an Afghan citizen convicted by US courts of drug smuggling and terrorism in exchange for the release of two US citizens detained in Afghanistan.

Afghan officials say the man, Khan Mohammad, had landed in Kabul after his release. Mohammad was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2008 by a US court, which is the first sentence on charges ofnarco-terrorism, according to the US Department of Justice (DOJ).

Reported by Reuters on Monday, January 21, the prisoner swap was the result of a long and productive negotiation between the Afghan and American governments, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Mohammad was arrested in eastern Afghanistan in 2006 and extradited to the US a year later, according to the DOJ website.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban government, confirmed two Americans had been released, but refused to provide data on themselves.

One of the Americans released was Ryan aired, according to a statement on the site run by his family. The Taliban has been detained since 2022, the family site said.

"We are very happy because Ryan is on his way home," the family said on the site.

CNN and the New York Times reported on Sunday that another American released was William McKenty.

The Islamic Emirate views the United States' actions positively as it contributes to normalization and expansion of relations between the two countries, the Afghan foreign office said in a statement.