- Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced two American prisoners are in custody in Afghanistan.
- The UN warned Corbett’s life could be at risk and called for immediate access to medical treatment.
- Many countries advise against travel to Afghanistan due to the risks of wrongful detention, violence, and kidnapping.
Mujahid did not disclose the names of the US prisoners, but last September, Taliban authorities arrested more than a dozen staff members of an international NGO, including an American woman. Additionally, aid worker Ryan Corbett has been in custody since 2022.
“We should be able to free our citizens in (an) exchange, as American citizens are important for them (the United States), just as Afghans are important for us,” Mujahid told a press conference in Kabul.
He stated that discussions regarding a prisoner exchange were conducted with US representatives during United Nations-led talks in Qatar.
The talks, which convened UN officials, Taliban authorities, and special envoys to Afghanistan, concluded on Monday.
“Two American citizens are imprisoned in Afghanistan,” Mujahid told the press conference, adding that Afghan prisoners were also held in the United States, including in the secretive US prison in Cuba.
“We have had discussions on their release with them (the United States) before. Afghanistan’s conditions should be accepted,” he said.
Taliban authorities detained at least 18 staff members of the non-governmental organization International Assistance Mission (IAM), including an American woman, on accusations of conducting Christian missionary work.
The UN in June warned Corbett’s “life could be at risk” and called for Taliban authorities to give him “immediate access to medical treatment for his deteriorating health.” Since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, Taliban authorities have detained dozens of foreigners.
Many countries, including the United States, advise against travel to Afghanistan due to risks of wrongful detention, violence, and kidnapping. Muhammad Rahim, an Afghan prisoner, remains in detention at Guantanamo Bay, with his family calling for his release in November.
In February, Afghanistan welcomed home two former prisoners who had been held in Guantanamo Bay until 2017, more than 20 years after their arrest. Abdul Karim and Abdul Zahir were transferred to Oman and placed under house arrest until their release.
They were part of hundreds of suspected militants captured by US forces and detained in Guantanamo Bay. US authorities were accused of torture and abuse against prisoners at the facility, where many were held without charge or the ability to legally challenge their detention.
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