The Taliban government announced on Tuesday the release of an Afghan prisoner held by the United States in exchange for U.S. detainees, with the deal facilitated by Qatar.
“An Afghan fighter, Khan Mohammad, imprisoned in America, has been released in exchange for American citizens and has returned to the country,” the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement.
Mohammad, who had been serving a life sentence in California, was arrested nearly two decades ago in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan. The ministry did not disclose the number of American detainees involved or provide additional details about the exchange.
The announcement comes just a day after the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. During his first term, Trump oversaw a landmark agreement with the Taliban that led to the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021 and the Taliban’s return to power.
Following Trump’s election victory in November, the Taliban expressed hope for a “new chapter” in relations with the United States.
In its statement, the Taliban praised the exchange as a “good example of resolving issues through dialogue” and extended “special gratitude” to Qatar for its role in facilitating the deal.
“The Islamic Emirate views positively those actions of the United States that contribute to the normalisation and expansion of relations between the two countries,” the Taliban government added, referring to its official name for the administration.
