• The U.S. and the Taliban conducted a prisoner swap, releasing two detained Americans in exchange for a convicted Afghan narco-terrorist serving a life sentence in California.
• The exchange involved Khan Mohammad, a Taliban figure convicted in 2008 for drug trafficking and terrorism, and Americans Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, detained by the Taliban.
• The deal, facilitated by Qatar, reflects rare U.S.-Taliban cooperation and the Taliban’s efforts to gain international legitimacy despite Washington’s refusal to recognize its government.
• Mohammad’s release has sparked ethical debates, while Corbett’s family expressed relief but concern for two other Americans still held by the Taliban.
• The swap highlights ongoing challenges in U.S.-Taliban relations, with negotiations continuing for the release of other detained Americans.

The United States and Afghanistan’s Taliban government have agreed to a prisoner exchange, freeing two American citizens held in Afghanistan for a convicted Afghan narco-terrorist serving a life sentence in California.

The deal, confirmed by officials on Tuesday, Jan. 21, marks a rare moment of cooperation between the two nations amid strained relations since the Taliban’s ouster of the former Afghan government in 2021.

The swap involved the release of Khan Mohammad, a Taliban figure convicted in 2008 on charges of drug trafficking and terrorism, in exchange for Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, two Americans detained by the Taliban.

Corbett, a U.S. citizen who ran a social enterprise in Afghanistan, had been held since August 2022, while McKenty’s circumstances remain unclear.

The exchange, described by the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the result of “long and fruitful negotiations,” was facilitated by Qatar, a key intermediary in U.S.-Taliban talks. Analysts note that this deal underscores the Taliban’s ongoing efforts to gain international legitimacy and normalize relations with major nations, especially Washington, which still refuses to recognize its government.

Government released Taliban member who sold heroin and opium to fund terrorist groups

Mohammad, now 55, was arrested in 2006 in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province. He was extradited to the U.S. and convicted in 2008 on charges of trafficking heroin and opium to fund terrorism in a landmark first conviction under American narco-terrorism laws. The Department of Justice described him as “a violent jihadist and narcotics trafficker” who sought to kill U.S. soldiers using rockets purchased from the trafficking of drugs.

Mohammad’s release has sparked debate over the ethics of exchanging convicted terrorists for detained civilians.

In a video interview with local media organization Hurriyat, Mohammad expressed gratitude for his freedom, saying, “Thanks to the support and assistance of the Islamic Emirate and, by God’s grace, I was freed.”

For the families of the freed Americans, the swap brought relief after months of uncertainty. In a statement, Corbett’s family said they were “overwhelmed with joy” at his release but expressed regret that two other Americans, George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi, were not included in the deal. Glezmann, an airline mechanic, and Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman, remain in Taliban custody.

The prisoner exchange comes at a pivotal moment in U.S.-Afghan relations. The administration of former President Joe Biden, which oversaw the disastrous withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021, had been negotiating with the Taliban to secure the release of Corbett, Glezmann and Habibi since at least July 2023. (Related: Congressional report: Biden-Harris admin DECEIVED Americans on Afghanistan withdrawal.)

In exchange, the White House was offering Muhammad Rahim, a high-profile detainee at Guantanamo Bay. While the deal ultimately excluded Rahim, it highlights the ongoing challenges of engaging with the Taliban, which remains a pariah in the international community.

In the meantime, the families of those still detained in Afghanistan continue to hope for their loved ones’ safe return. As Corbett’s family noted in their statement, “While we celebrate Ryan’s freedom, our hearts remain heavy for those still waiting.”

Watch this Jan. 10 episode of “Redacted News” as host Clayton Morris speaks with Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) regarding how the previous administration helped fund the Taliban.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

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Controversial clemency: Biden releases Chinese nationals accused of espionage.

White House now claims it did not leave American weapons in Afghanistan, calls accusation a “farce.”

SIGAR: Biden admin has given over $11 billion to Afghanistan since Taliban took over and U.S. withdrew its troops in 2021.

Sources include:

Reuters.com

NPR.org

Brighteon.com