The United States has freed an Afghan detainee imprisoned for almost two decades in exchange for two American citizens held in Afghanistan.
According to Afghan authorities on Tuesday, a deal brokered by Qatar led to the release of Khan Mohammad, an Afghan national who was convicted by a US court in 2008 on charges of drug smuggling and terrorism.
Having been sentenced to life imprisonment, he was reportedly finally released by US authorities on 16 January, ending almost two decades of detention.
Speaking to local media organisation Hurriyat in a video interview on Tuesday, Mohammad said: “Thanks to the support and assistance of the Islamic Emirate and, by God’s grace, I was freed.”
In return for his release, the Taliban government in Afghanistan released two American citizens; Ryan Corbett – detained in Afghanistan since 2022 – and William McKenty.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said the prisoner exchange was the result of “long and productive” negotiations between Afghan and American authorities. It went on to thank Qatar for its mediatory role and said that the “Islamic Emirate views the actions of the United States positively when they contribute to normalising and expanding relations between the two countries.”
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