U.S. National Amir Amiri Freed from Afghan Prison, Qatar Facilitates Latest Diplomatic Success
The Taliban on Sunday freed a U.S. citizen from an Afghan prison. The release, which comes weeks after an agreement on a prisoner exchange was reportedly reached with U.S. envoys, saw the return of a man identified by the Taliban as Amir Amiri.
Zia Ahmad Takal, the deputy spokesperson for the Taliban Foreign Ministry, confirmed the release but did not provide details on when or why Amiri was detained. However, an anonymous official with knowledge of the matter stated that Amiri had been held in Afghanistan since December 2024 and was already en route back to the United States.
Qatar’s Crucial Role
The release was facilitated by Qatar, marking the latest diplomatic achievement in its security partnership with the U.S. This year alone, Qatar, an energy-rich nation, has helped secure the freedom of four other Americans from Taliban detention, in addition to a previously released British couple.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the news, interpreting it as evidence of the administration’s commitment to protecting Americans from “wrongful detention abroad,” a determination he said was bolstered by a recent presidential executive order.
An Ongoing Effort
“While this marks an important step forward, additional Americans remain unjustly detained in Afghanistan,” Secretary Rubio stated. “President Trump will not rest until all our captive citizens are back home.”
The release brings a renewed, albeit cautious, sense of hope to the families of other Americans still detained. Ahmad Habibi, the brother of Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American business owner who vanished in 2022 and has been held by the Taliban for over three years, expressed gratitude for Amiri’s release.
He remains hopeful for his brother’s return, recalling assurances from the State Department and National Security Council that any deal with the Taliban would be an “all or nothing” agreement, explicitly guaranteeing that Mahmood would not be left behind.
Mahmood Habibi, who worked as a contractor for a telecommunications company, is believed by his family and the FBI to be held by the Taliban, an assertion the group has denied.
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