American citizen George Glezmann, 66, was released from Taliban detention in Afghanistan after over two years. His release followed weeks of negotiations led by Qatari and US mediators, with a breakthrough achieved during a recent meeting between Qatar and the Taliban.
US hostage envoy Adam Boehler and former US Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad were also involved. Photographs of them meeting with Taliban officials were released. Khalilzad confirmed the release on X (formerly Twitter), stating it was a goodwill gesture to the US president and people.
Glezmann was detained in December 2022, declared wrongfully detained in September 2023. He traveled to Afghanistan for a five-day trip to explore the country's culture and history. Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock had campaigned for his release, describing harsh conditions including solitary confinement and limited contact with his family.
The US doesn't have a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, with Qatar acting as its representative. Glezmann's release follows the January release of two other US citizens, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, in a prisoner exchange facilitated by Qatar. US officials had sought Glezmann's and Mahmoud Habibi's inclusion in that earlier exchange.
Glezmann's wife reported concerning health issues before his release, including a benign tumor, vision loss, and sores.