American held by Taliban for years released: State Department
George Glezmann, an American airline mechanic held by the Taliban since 2022, has been released, the State Department announced Thursday.
“George Glezmann is free. George was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for two and a half years, but now he’s on his way to be reunited with his wife Aleksandra,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X. “Welcome home, George!”
Glezmann is from Atlanta and the third American detainee to be released by the Taliban since the start of the year. He was captured in December 2022 and designated by the U.S. as wrongfully detained, The Associated Press reported.
The other two other Americans, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, were released in a prisoner swap negotiated by the Biden administration shortly before former President Biden left office.
The Taliban praised the January swap as a step toward the “normalization” of relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan's leaders. At the time, Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi, another American prisoner, remained in custody.
After the prisoner swap, Rubio said there would be a “VERY BIG bounty” on the Taliban’s top leaders after he learned of more Americans being imprisoned. The Taliban shot back with a warning for Rubio.
Unlike the January deal, the U.S. did not provide the Taliban with a prisoner to secure Glezmann’s release. An official told the AP said it was done as a goodwill gesture.
"George's release is a positive and constructive step," Rubio said in a statement. "It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan."
Glezmann was accompanied back to the U.S. through Qatar’s capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, Trump's special envoy for hostage response, the AP reported.
Qatar has helped negotiate between the U.S. and the Taliban for years. The State Department thanked Qatar for its "steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts."
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