COMING HOME

American Released From Taliban Captivity After Nearly a Year

Amir Amiry was detained in Afghanistan since December 2024.

An American man held in Afghanistan since December 2024 is coming home, according to an announcement from U.S. State Department. Amir Amiry, 36, had been detained by the Taliban since December of 2024. He was photographed returning to the U.S. alongside counterterrorism director Sebastian Gorka, US hostage negotiator Adam Boehler, and a Qatari diplomat on Sunday. Negotiations for Amiry’s release lasted months. Secretary of State Marco Rubio thanked Qatar in a statement, saying “We express our sincere gratitude to Qatar, whose strong partnership and tireless diplomatic efforts were vital to securing his release.” He also stated that the return of Americans wrongly detained abroad remains one of President Trump’s priorities. Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi also thanked Qatar for its role in negotiating Amiry’s release. Muttaqi said the Taliban “do not view foreign nationals from a political perspective,” and thus engaged in diplomatic relations to negotiate Amiry’s release. While it’s unclear what, if anything, the U.S. promised in exchange for Amiry’s release, the Taliban and U.S. have exchanged prisoners in the past.