Taliban Frees US Citizen After Qatar Mediation
The release of Amir Amiri follows weeks of high-profile detentions, with Qatar mediating, while other Americans and foreign nationals remain in Taliban custody.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Afghanistan’s Taliban government announced the release of an American citizen on Sunday, marking the latest in a series of high-profile detentions and releases of foreign nationals under the group’s rule. The detainee, identified as Amir Amiri, was handed over to Adam Boehler, the United States’ special envoy on hostages, after being held in Afghanistan since December 2024.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan released an American citizen named Amir Amiri from prison today,” the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry wrote on X, using the official name for its government.
The ministry emphasized that it “does not view the issues of citizens from a political angle” and is committed to resolving such matters through diplomacy.
The release followed a week after the Taliban freed an elderly British couple, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who were detained for nearly eight months. Both releases were mediated by Qatar, which has acted as a key intermediary between Western governments and the Taliban since the group returned to power in August 2021.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the release, calling Amiri “wrongfully detained” and urging that other Americans still held in Afghanistan be returned.
“President Trump will not rest until all our captive citizens are back home,” Rubio wrote on X.
Today we welcome home Amir Amiry, an American who was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan. I want to thank Qatar for helping secure his freedom. @POTUS has made it clear we will not stop until every American unjustly detained abroad is back home.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) September 28, 2025
Amiri, 36, is expected to stop briefly in Doha, Qatar, for medical checks before continuing back to the United States. Little is publicly known about the circumstances of his detention.
Previous releases of US citizens have included airline mechanic George Glezmann, freed after more than two years in custody, and two Americans exchanged in January for an Afghan fighter convicted in the United States of narco-terrorism.
At least one other US citizen, Mahmood Habibi, remains in Taliban custody. The United States has offered a $5 million reward for information regarding his whereabouts. Taliban authorities deny involvement in his 2022 disappearance.
The releases occur amid a broader context of tension and concern for foreign nationals in Afghanistan. Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed a strict version of Islamic law and have been accused of human rights violations.
Russia remains the only country to have officially recognized the Taliban government, while Western nations, including the US and UK, continue to advise against travel to Afghanistan.
Despite this, the Taliban have signaled an interest in maintaining diplomatic engagement with other countries, including the United States, even as the legacy of the 20-year war against US-led forces continues to influence relations.
The release of Amir Amiri underscores the fragile and complex nature of hostage and detention diplomacy in Afghanistan, highlighting the ongoing role of intermediaries such as Qatar in negotiating the return of foreign nationals while raising questions about the security and legal protections for those remaining in Taliban custody.
Foreign Nationals Remain at Risk in Afghanistan
Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, dozens of foreign nationals—including aid workers, journalists, dual citizens, and long-term residents—have been detained, often with little public explanation.
The group has imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law and maintains broad powers to arrest individuals suspected of espionage, political dissent, or collaboration with foreign governments.
While Qatar has mediated the release of several high-profile detainees, including Americans and Britons, other cases remain unresolved.
Western nations continue to warn against travel to Afghanistan due to security concerns, arbitrary detentions, and the limited presence of international diplomatic support.
The situation reflects both the Taliban’s desire to assert control over the country and the ongoing geopolitical tensions with the United States, the UK, and other Western nations, leaving foreign nationals vulnerable to legal and political uncertainty.
