Taliban Frees US Citizen After Qatari Mediation 

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Sunday released an American citizen who had been held in custody since late 2024, in a move mediated by Qatar and confirmed by the US State Department. 

The freed detainee, identified as 36-year-old Amir Amiry, was transferred to Doha and is expected to return to the United States in the coming days. His release followed months of negotiations involving Washington’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler and Qatari officials. 

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement thanking Qatar for its “strong partnership and tireless diplomatic efforts” that helped secure Amiry’s freedom. “President Trump will not rest until all our captive citizens are back home,” Rubio said, calling the release a significant achievement for the administration in Kabul. 

Qatar has played a consistent role in brokering the release of Americans detained in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2022, when the US closed its embassy in Kabul and shifted its diplomatic efforts through Gulf allies. 

Details surrounding Amiry’s activities in Afghanistan and the reasons for his detention remain unclear. A diplomatic source confirmed that he had been held since December 2024. 

Taliban Deputy Spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat stated that envoy Adam Boehler met with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday. Fitrat quoted Muttaqi as saying the release reflected the government’s view that “issues concerning foreign nationals” should not be politicized. He added that Kabul favored diplomacy as the means to resolve such cases.