Amir Amiry, a U.S. citizen who had been held by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nine months, has been released following extensive negotiations facilitated by Qatari mediators, officials confirmed.
Amiry became the fifth American freed from Taliban detention this year. He was reported to be en route back to the United States as of Sunday.
In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked Qatar for its tireless diplomatic efforts, which he described as vital in securing Mr. Amiry's release.
The circumstances surrounding Amiry's detention remain unclear, but Rubio emphasized that he had been wrongfully detained.
Moreover, he pointed out that other U.S. citizens remain unjustly detained in Afghanistan, indicating ongoing efforts by the Biden administration to secure their release.
According to Qatar's foreign ministry, the country played a pivotal role in arranging Amiry's release and that he was expected to travel to Doha before heading to the U.S.
Negotiations on Amiry's behalf began in March, initially facilitating a meeting with U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler. A breakthrough in these negotiations was reported towards the end of last week, culminating in Amiry's release.
This event follows the release of several other Americans earlier this year, including Ryan Corbett, who was part of a prisoner exchange involving Khan Mohammad, a Taliban figure, and more recently, George Glezmann, who had been detained while visiting Afghanistan.
In addition to these developments, a British couple, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, were also released through Qatari mediation earlier this month after nearly two decades of residing in Afghanistan.