On Tuesday, authorities in Kabul announced that the United States had released an Afghan individual who was convicted by an American court on charges of drug smuggling and terrorism. This decision was made in exchange for the release of two U.S. citizens detained in Afghanistan.
Officials in Afghanistan confirmed that Khan Mohammad had arrived in Kabul after his release. In 2008, a U.S. court handed down a life sentence to Mohammad, marking a significant milestone as it was the first conviction related to narco-terrorism, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
According to a statement from Afghanistan’s foreign ministry, the prisoner exchange emerged from negotiations between Afghan and American authorities that were described as “long and productive”.”
In 2006, Mohammad was apprehended in eastern Afghanistan and subsequently extradited to the United States the following year, as reported by the Department of Justice website.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban administration, has confirmed the release of two American nationals, though he refrained from disclosing their identities.
A statement from a family-run site confirmed that one of the Americans released is Ryan Corbett. According to the family’s website, Corbett has been held in Taliban detention since 2022.
The family expressed their immense joy, stating on the site, “We are overwhelmed with joy that Ryan is on his way home. “
On Sunday, both CNN and the New York Times confirmed the release of another American, identified as William McKenty.
“Afghanistan’s foreign office stated that the Islamic Emirate regards the actions of the United States favourably when they aid in normalising and expanding relations between the two nations.”
The statement expressed gratitude to Qatar for its involvement in the exchange.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a ministry spokesman, has confirmed that Mohammad has arrived in Kabul and has reunited with his family.
The Department of Justice reports that Mohammad, a member of the Afghan Taliban, received a life sentence on two counts at the age of 38. This case marks a significant milestone as it involves the first narcotics-terrorism charges filed in the United States.
Court records cited by the website describe Mohammad as “a violent jihadist and narcotics trafficker” who “sought to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan using rockets.”
According to Corbett’s family, he was the founder of Bloom Afghanistan, a non-government organisation dedicated to enhancing the private sector in Afghanistan through social enterprise initiatives.
In 2022, he found himself in Afghanistan to renew his business visa, only to be detained by the Taliban.
According to the New York Times, McKenty’s family requested that the U.S. government keep his details confidential.
According to CNN, a long-anticipated prisoner exchange was finalised in the final hours of Democratic former President Joe Biden’s administration, just before Republican President Donald Trump assumed office on Monday.
According to the New York Times, two American captives continue to be held in Afghanistan: George Glezmann, a former airline mechanic, and Mahmood Habibi, a naturalised citizen. Their abduction occurred shortly after a U.S. military operation resulted in the death of Ayman al-Zawahri, the leader of Al Qaeda.
In a recent statement, Corbett’s family commended the efforts of both the Trump and Biden administrations regarding the exchange while also expressing disappointment that Glezmann and Habibi were not included in the release.
