US Citizen Amir Amiry Released from Taliban Detention After Nine Months

Fri Oct 03 2025 03:47:01 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Amir Amiry, a U.S. citizen, has been freed from Taliban custody following extensive negotiations facilitated by Qatari officials. This marks the fifth release of an American detained in Afghanistan this year.

Amir Amiry, a U.S. citizen held for nine months by the Taliban, has been released thanks to negotiations led by Qatari mediators. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the diplomatic efforts crucial and noted that more Americans remain unjustly detained. The exact circumstances around Amiry's detention remain unknown, although Rubio emphasized he was wrongfully held. Qatari officials confirmed Amiry is currently en route to the U.S.

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 said 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 said it had facilitated the release of Mr. Amiry and that he was on his way to Doha before travelling to the US.

Qatar began negotiating Mr. Amiry's release in March - first arranging a meeting between Mr. Amiry and US hostage envoy Adam Boehler, sources told CBS news.

A breakthrough in negotiations was reached this weekend, sources reported, which led to Mr. Amiry's release.

This comes after two American citizens were freed in a prisoner swap between the US and Taliban in January. One of the detainees, Ryan Corbett, was abducted in 2022 while on a work trip. The US released Khan Mohammad, a Taliban figure imprisoned for life in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges, in exchange, the Associated Press reported.

Two other Americans were released later in March, including George Glezmann, who was detained during a tourist visit to Afghanistan in 2022.

A British couple, Peter and Barbie Reynolds, were also released earlier this month through Qatari mediation after living in Afghanistan for nearly two decades.