Official U.S. government foreign policy documents or credible news analysis

U.S. and Taliban Swap Prisoners; Americans Corbett and McKenty Exchanged for Khan Mohammad

Jan 21, 2025, 05:06 AM

In a prisoner exchange facilitated by Qatar, the United States and the Taliban have released detainees held by each side. Two American citizens, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, who were held by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nearly two years, have been freed and are en route back to the United States. In exchange, the U.S. released Khan Mohammad, an Afghan national who had been imprisoned for nearly 20 years after his arrest in 2006 near Jalalabad and was serving a life sentence on charges of terrorism and narcotics. The deal was secured in the final hours of President Biden's administration but was delayed until President Trump took office, with both administrations contributing to its completion. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed appreciation for Qatar's decisive role in mediating the agreement and wished success in building lasting peace, while the Afghan Foreign Ministry thanked Qatar and expressed a positive outlook toward normalizing relations with Washington. The exchange reflects ongoing efforts to address outstanding issues through dialogue between Kabul and Washington.