American detained in Afghanistan released, family says

At least one American detained in Afghanistan was released amid the U.S. presidential transition, his family says, as part of a prisoner swap with the Taliban.

The Taliban had confirmed that they were detaining Ryan Corbett, an American arrested in Afghanistan in August 2022 and whom the State Department had classified as unjustly detained.

“Today our hearts are filled with immense gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan’s life and bringing him home after what has been the most difficult and uncertain 894 days of our life,” his family said in a statement posted Tuesday on their website. .

In a statement, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said “American citizens” were released in exchange for Khan Muhammad, who was arrested in eastern Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province about two decades ago and who was serving a life sentence in California.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Muhammad was convicted in 2008 of narcoterrorism and heroin distribution. It says Muhammad, a member of the Afghan Taliban, sought to acquire rockets to attack Americans and their allies in Afghanistan, and purchased opium to be turned into heroin and sent to the United States.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told NBC News on Tuesday that two U.S. nationals had been released in exchange for Mohammed, but declined to reveal their identities.

The Corbett family thanked former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, who was sworn in Monday. The Biden administration was in talks with the Taliban to exchange Americans held in Afghanistan for Afghans held by the United States, a senior Taliban leader with direct knowledge of the negotiations told NBC News this month.

The Trump administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday morning.

The Corbett family and the Afghan Foreign Ministry also expressed their thanks to the Qatar government for its mediation efforts.

Corbett, a longtime resident of Afghanistan before the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in 2021, was visiting the country at the time of his arrest. His state of health reportedly deteriorated during his detention.

The Corbett family said they were thinking of those still awaiting the return of other Americans detained in Afghanistan, including the families of George Glezmann and Mahmoud Habibi, whose release was recently raised as a possibility.

“We hoped that Ryan, George and Mahmoud would reunite with their families, and we cannot imagine the pain our luck will bring them,” they said. “We recognize the immense privilege of our family’s reunion today and pledge to continue to pray – and fight – for the speedy release of George and Mahmoud.”

The Taliban had said the charges against the three Americans included spying and preaching Christianity in Afghanistan, which the Taliban governs under Islamic law.

Biden spoke this month with family members of Corbett, Glezmann and Habibi.

During his four years in office, Biden brought back more than 75 U.S. citizens and residents detained around the world, including in prisoner swaps with China and Russia.

Jennifer Jett reported from Hong Kong and Mushtaq Yusufzai from Peshawar, Pakistan.

This is a developing story. Please check again for updates.