Overview
- U.S. officials said Amir Amiry was released on September 28 after negotiations coordinated by Qatar and a visit to Kabul by special envoy Adam Boehler.
- The State Department described Amiry as wrongfully detained and publicly thanked Qatar, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio crediting its role in securing the release.
- Amiry’s return marks the fifth U.S. citizen freed from Taliban custody this year with Qatari facilitation, following Ryan Corbett and William McKenty in January and George Glezmann and Faye Hall in March.
- Terms of the release were not disclosed, and officials have not said why Amiry was in Afghanistan or why he was detained; a U.S. official said it was not a prisoner swap.
- Qatar, acting as Washington’s protecting power in Afghanistan, conducted health checks during Amiry’s detention, as the Taliban cast the move as a diplomatic step while other Americans remain held, including Mahmood Habibi.