Afghanistan’s Taliban government says a U.S. citizen has been released in exchange for an Afghan serving a life sentence in California.

The Afghan Taliban government announced a prisoner exchange agreement with the United States to release detained Americans.

The Taliban foreign ministry in Kabul did not name the U.S. citizens or how many were released, but said they were exchanged for Khan Mohammed. Khan Mohammad was captured in Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province two decades ago and is currently serving a life sentence in a California prison. prison.

“Following extensive and productive negotiations between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the United States of America, an agreement has been reached to facilitate the release of Afghan Mujahideen Khan Mohammad from a US prison in exchange for the release of US nationals,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on X on Tuesday .

After extensive and productive negotiations between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the United States of America, an agreement was reached to facilitate the release of Afghan Mujahideen Khan Mohammad from a US prison in exchange for the release of US nationals. pic.twitter.com/fw0QgQztZ0

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Afghanistan (@MoFA_Afg) January 21, 2025

The Associated Press quoted the family of Ryan Corbett, one of the Americans reportedly involved in the exchange agreement, as saying their hearts were filled with “overwhelming gratitude” for their efforts to survive the most difficult of times. Period later kept him alive and brought him home. and the uncertain 894 days of our lives.”

Corbett was living with his family in Afghanistan when the U.S.-backed government collapsed in 2021 and was detained by the Taliban in August 2022 while on a business trip.

Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said the prisoner exchange, brokered by Qatar, was the result of “long and productive negotiations” with the United States.

The news came a day after the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who during his first term oversaw a deal with the Taliban that paved the way for a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 the way.

After Trump won the election in November last year, the Taliban government said it hoped to open a “new chapter” in relations with the United States.