Biden Administration in Talks with Afghan Taliban to Release Guantanamo Prisoner

Biden Administration in Talks with Afghan Taliban to Release Guantanamo Prisoner

Washington, January 7 – The Biden administration is negotiating with the Afghan Taliban government to secure the release of three American citizens detained in Afghanistan in exchange for at least one high-profile prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay, who is allegedly connected to former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

The Biden administration has been in discussions with the Taliban about this deal since at least July, and on November 14, it informed the group that if the Taliban releases the three American citizens – George Glezmann, Ryan Corbett, and Mahmoud Habibi, who were detained in Afghanistan in 2022 – the U.S. would release Muhammad Rahim al Afghani, who is identified as a senior al-Qaeda aide, and is currently held at Guantanamo Bay.

Representatives from the White House and the U.S. State Department have not commented on this matter. Taliban representatives also did not respond to requests regarding the news report.