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Taliban Announces Prisoner Exchange with the United States
The Afghan Taliban government announced on Tuesday the release of two American citizens as part of a prisoner exchange operation. The Taliban explained that the United States released an Afghan prisoner in exchange for American detainees in Afghanistan, under a mediation agreement facilitated by Qatar.
In a statement issued by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was mentioned that Afghan fighter Khan Mohammad, who had been imprisoned in the United States, has been released and returned to his country. This operation comes after Mohammad served a life sentence in California, having been captured nearly two decades ago in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan.
When asked for additional details about the operation, including the number of American prisoners involved, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to provide any information. So far, no official comment has been issued from the U.S. side regarding the exchange operation.
It is noteworthy that the Taliban's announcement coincides with the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, as the Taliban government expressed hope for a beginning of a "new chapter" in relations with the United States after Trump's electoral victory last November.
In this context, the Taliban described the prisoner exchange as a "good example of resolving outstanding issues through dialogue," expressing appreciation for Qatar's active role in this regard. The Afghan government added that it views these American movements positively as contributing to normalizing and strengthening relations between the two countries.
