American citizen Glezmann freed by Taliban, returning to US

DOHA/KABUL: Taliban on Thursday freed an American citizen detained in Afghanistan for over two years following direct talks between US hostage envoy Adam Boehler and Taliban officials, a source briefed on the release told Reuters.

George Glezmann, who was detained in 2022 while visiting Kabul as a tourist, left Afghanistan aboard a Qatari aircraft Thursday evening bound for Qatar. Glezmann and Boehler are expected to later travel onward to the US. Thursday's meeting in Kabul marked the highest-level direct talks between the US and Taliban since Trump came to office in Jan. US secretary of state Marco Rubio issued a statement confirming Glezmann's release. Boehler met with Taliban administration's foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, according to a statement.

Taliban called Glezmann's release a "goodwill gesture" reflecting its willingness to engage with the US "on the basis of mutual respect and interests". The release was not part of a deal to free any Afghan detainees held by the US in exchange. The US in Jan freed an Afghan convicted by an American court on charges of drug smuggling and terrorism in exchange for two US citizens.