Two Americans were freed from imprisonment in Afghanistan as the result of a prisoner swap between the U.S. and the Taliban.

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Ryan Robertson Anchor

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US secures release of 2 Americans but gives up convicted Taliban narco-terrorist

Jan 21

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Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Jake Larsen (Video Editor)

Two Americans imprisoned in Afghanistan were freed on Tuesday, Jan. 21, as part of a prisoner swap between the United States and the Taliban. In exchange for the Americans, the Taliban reportedly received a man serving a life sentence in California for terrorism and drug trafficking charges.

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Who are the freed Americans?

The freed Americans are Ryan Corbett, who was jailed in Afghanistan since the summer of 2022, and William McKenty, whose detention wasn’t publicly disclosed until now.

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Both of their families confirmed the men’s release in separate statements.

What are their families saying?

Corbett’s family said that their “hearts are filled with joy … after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives.”

McKenty’s family did not give details of the duration or reason for his imprisonment in Afghanistan but said, they were “relieved to finally have Bill back” and asked for privacy as they “reconnect and heal together.”

The families also thanked the administrations of President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden.

Corbett lived in Afghanistan with his family until 2021, when the fall of the U.S.-backed government led to a Taliban takeover.

The Taliban abducted Corbett in August 2022 while he was on a business trip, according to the U.S. State Department.

What the Taliban got

The Taliban-run Afghan Foreign Ministry said the two Americans released were part of a deal to bring Khan Mohammed back to Afghanistan.

Mohammed was serving two terms of life in prison since 2008 in the United States after being convicted on narco-terrorism charges tied to heroin distribution.

Still more work to be done

The United States still believes that the Taliban is holding at least two other Americans wrongly detained.

One of those Americans believed to be held in Afghanistan is Mahmood Habibi, who the Biden administration was reportedly trying to work out a deal to bring home during former President Joe Biden’s final days in office.

The deal would have involved releasing Muhammad Rahim, one of a dwindling number of prisoners in Guantánamo Bay, back to Afghanistan.

Habibi’s family said while they are “grateful” the two Americans were freed, they were “frustrated” with the lack of traction under the Biden administration in bringing Habibi home.

Habibi’s family said they are “confident” Trump “will make a greater effort” to bring their relative home.

The Taliban denies that it has Habibi in custody.

Tags: Afghanistan, Donald Trump, Guantanamo Bay, Joe Biden, Kabul, prisoner swap, Prisoners, State Department, Taliban, Terrorism, United States, White House

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

TWO AMERICANS IMPRISONED IN AFGHANISTAN WERE FREED TUESDAY AS PART OF A PRISONER SWAP BETWEEN THE U-S AND THE TALIBAN.

IN EXCHANGE THE TALIBAN REPORTEDLY RECEIVED A MAN SERVING A LIFE SENTENCE IN CALIFORNIA FOR TERRORISM AND DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES

THE FREED AMERICANS ARE RYAN CORBETT, WHO WAS JAILED IN AFGHANISTAN SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2022, AND WILLIAM MCKENTY, WHOSE DETENTION WASN’T PUBLICLY DISCLOSED UNTIL NOW.

BOTH OF THEIR FAMILIES CONFIRMED THEIR RELEASES IN SEPARATE STATEMENTS.

CORBETT’S FAMILY SAYS, THEIR HEARTS “ARE FILLED WITH JOY… AFTER WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING AND UNCERTAIN 894 DAYS OF THEIR LIVES.”

MCKENTY’S FAMILY DID NOT GIVE DETAILS OF THE DURATION OR REASON FOR HIS IMPRISONMENT IN AFGHANISTAN BUT SAID, THEY WERE “RELIEVED TO FINALLY HAVE BILL BACK” AND ASKED FOR PRIVACY AS THEY “RECONNECT AND HEAL TOGETHER.”

THE FAMILIES ALSO THANKED THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND FORMER PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN.

CORBETT LIVED IN AFGHANISTAN WITH HIS FAMILY UNTIL 2021, WHEN THE FALL OF THE U-S-BACKED GOVERNMENT LED TO A TALIBAN TAKEOVER.

THE TALIBAN ABDUCTED CORBETT IN AUGUST OF 2022 WHILE HE WAS ON A BUSINESS TRIP, ACCORDING TO THE U-S STATE DEPARTMENT.

THE TALIBAN-RUN AFGHAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS THE TWO AMERICANS RELEASED WERE PART OF A DEAL TO BRING KHAN MOHAMMED BACK TO AFGHANISTAN.

MOHAMMED WAS SERVING TWO TERMS OF LIFE IN PRISON SINCE 2008 IN THE U-S AFTER BEING CONVICTED ON NARCO-TERRORISM CHARGES TIED TO HEROIN DISTRIBUTION.

THE U-S STILL BELIEVES THE TALIBAN IS HOLDING AT LEAST TWO OTHER AMERICANS WRONGLY DETAINED.

ONE OF THOSE BELIEVED TO BE HELD IN AFGHANISTAN IS MAHMOOD HABIBI, WHO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION WAS REPORTEDLY TRYING TO WORKOUT A DEAL TO BRING HOME DURING FORMER PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S FINAL DAYS IN OFFICE.

THE DEAL WOULD HAVE INVOLVED RELEASING MUHAMMAD RAHIM, ONE OF A DWINDLING NUMBER OF PRISONERS IN GUANTANOMO BAY, BACK TO AFGHANISTAN.

HABIBI’S FAMILY SAYS WHILE THEY’RE “GRATEFUL” THE TWO AMERICANS WERE FREED, THEY WERE “FRUSTRATED” WITH THE LACK OF TRACTION UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IN BRINGING HABIBI HOME.

HIS FAMILY SAYS THEY’RE CONFIDENT TRUMP “WILL MAKE A GREATER EFFORT” TO BRING THEIR RELATIVE HOME.

THE TALIBAN DENIES IT HAS HABIBI.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.