The Taliban government announced on Tuesday that the United States has released an Afghan prisoner in exchange for American detainees, with Qatar mediating the deal.
“An Afghan fighter Khan Mohammad imprisoned in America has been released in exchange for American citizens and returned to the country,” the Afghan foreign ministry stated.
According to the ministry, Mohammad had been serving a life sentence in California after being arrested nearly two decades ago in Nangarhar province, eastern Afghanistan.
When asked by AFP, the foreign ministry declined to provide additional details or specify the number of American prisoners involved in the exchange.
The announcement came a day after the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who, during his first term, facilitated a deal with the Taliban that ultimately led to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and the Taliban’s return to power.
Following Trump’s election victory in November, the Taliban expressed hopes for a “new chapter” in relations with the United States.
The Taliban described the prisoner exchange as “a good example of resolving issues through dialogue,” extending gratitude to Qatar for its significant 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 statement concluded, using the Taliban’s preferred name for their government.
