Taliban frees US man held in Afghanistan for two years

An American hose mechanic has been freed by the Taliban aft being held successful Afghanistan for much than 2 years.

George Glezmann, who was detained successful December 2022 portion visiting arsenic a tourist, arrived by level successful Qatar connected Thursday evening earlier travelling backmost to the US.

His merchandise was confirmed aft the Taliban government's overseas curate hosted US hostage envoy Adam Boehler and different US officials successful the Afghan capital, Kabul.

The Taliban's overseas ministry said Mr Glezmann's merchandise was "on humanitarian grounds" and "a goodwill gesture", portion US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the woody a "positive and constructive step".

The gathering betwixt the US delegation and the Taliban amounted to the highest-level nonstop talks betwixt the 2 parties since US President Donald Trump was inaugurated successful January.

Boehler was accompanied astatine the gathering by the US's erstwhile envoy to Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad, according to the Afghan overseas ministry.

Contact betwixt the 2 governments has usually taken spot successful different countries since the Taliban regained powerfulness successful 2021.

Qatar said it facilitated the woody to merchandise Mr Glezmann.

In a station connected X, Afghanistan's overseas ministry added that the woody showed "Afghanistan's readiness to genuinely engaging each sides, peculiarly the United States of America, connected the ground of communal respect and interests".

Rubio said that Mr Glezmann, a 65-year-old Delta Air Lines mechanic, would soon beryllium reunited with his wife, Aleksandra, and thanked Qatar for its "instrumental" relation successful securing the release.

He was pictured astatine Kabul airdrome connected Thursday earlier boarding a formation to Qatar, accompanied by Boehler, Khalilzad and Qatari officials.

The James Foley Foundation, which monitors cases of Americans detained overseas, said Mr Glezmann had "periodic and constricted telephone contact" with his woman portion detained.

His wellness was besides said to person "deteriorated importantly portion helium had been successful detention", and helium had "medical issues that necessitate contiguous care".

Rubio added that Mr Glezmann's merchandise was "also a reminder that different Americans are inactive detained successful Afghanistan".

One of those US citizens is believed to beryllium Mahmood Habibi, who was detained successful August 2022.

Before Trump took bureau successful January, 2 Americans, Ryan Corbett and William Wallace McKenty, were released from Afghanistan in speech for an Afghan imprisoned successful the US.

Khan Mohmmad was serving a beingness condemnation successful a national situation successful California connected cause trafficking and coercion charges.