President Joe Biden reassured families of three Americans detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan during a Sunday call, emphasizing his administration’s dedication to bringing home wrongfully detained U.S. citizens.
Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann, and Mahmood Habibi have been held in Afghanistan since 2022. Negotiations between the U.S. and Taliban authorities, which began in July, are ongoing, with discussions reportedly involving a potential prisoner exchange for Muhammad Rahim al-Afghani, a detainee at Guantanamo Bay.
Families Welcome Biden’s Stance
Ahmad Habibi, the brother of detainee Mahmood Habibi, appreciated Biden’s transparency. “President Biden was clear he wouldn’t agree to any trade unless my brother is released. Our family is grateful for his determination,” he said.
The Taliban, however, denies holding Habibi and proposed an alternate exchange involving Glezmann and Corbett, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
A History of Advocacy
Biden’s administration has successfully secured the release of over 75 Americans unjustly detained globally, including cases in Iran, Russia, and Venezuela. The White House reiterated its commitment to continue these efforts until the end of Biden’s term.
The administration also ensured the return of all Americans detained in Afghanistan before the U.S. troop withdrawal in 2021.
Context of the Prisoner Exchange
Rahim al-Afghani, a high-profile detainee, was arrested in Pakistan in 2007 for alleged ties to al-Qaeda. Reports reveal that he endured enhanced interrogation techniques at CIA “black sites” before being transferred to Guantanamo Bay.
Recently, Biden facilitated the transfer of 11 Guantanamo detainees to Oman, reducing the facility’s population by nearly half as part of his goal to close the detention center before leaving office in January.
