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Taliban Frees Ryan Corbett and William McKenty in Exchange for Khan Mohammed, Facilitated by Qatar

Jan 21, 2025, 11:30 AM

The Taliban government in Afghanistan announced the release of two American citizens, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, in a prisoner exchange with the United States. In return, the U.S. released Khan Mohammed, an Afghan national who had been serving a life sentence in California since his 2008 conviction on charges of drug trafficking and terrorism. The exchange was facilitated by Qatar, which played a crucial role in mediating the negotiations. The deal was finalized in the last hours of the Biden administration, though the actual transfer occurred after Donald Trump took office. The Corbett family expressed gratitude to both the Biden and Trump administrations, as well as to Qatar for their efforts in securing Ryan's release after 894 days in captivity. The Taliban described the swap as a step toward normalizing relations with the U.S., though the U.S. has not officially recognized the Taliban government. The exchange comes amidst ongoing efforts to free other Americans detained in Afghanistan, including George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi, who were not part of this deal.