A US citizen held by the Taliban in Afghanistan for nine months has been released following negotiations led by Qatari mediators, officials say.
The man, identified as Amir Amiry, is the fifth American to be freed from detention in Afghanistan this year. He was on his way back to the US on Sunday.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked Qatar for its tireless diplomatic efforts, which he said were crucial in securing Mr. Amiry's release.
The reason for Mr. Amiry's detention remains unclear. Rubio stated that he had been wrongfully detained.
The secretary of state added that more US citizens remain unjustly detained in Afghanistan and that the Trump administration was working on securing their release.
Qatar's foreign ministry stated it had facilitated the release of Mr. Amiry and that he was traveling to Doha before heading to the US.
Negotiations for Mr. Amiry's release began in March, initially organizing a meeting between him and US hostage envoy Adam Boehler.
A breakthrough in negotiations was achieved this weekend, leading to Mr. Amiry's release.
This event comes after two American citizens were previously freed in a prisoner swap with the Taliban in January, one of whom, Ryan Corbett, was abducted in 2022.
The swap involved the US releasing Khan Mohammad, a Taliban figure previously imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges.
A British couple, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, who had lived in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, were also recently released through Qatari mediation.
