KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A U.S. delegation led by Adam Boehler, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, met senior Taliban officials in Kabul on Saturday to discuss issues related to prisoners held in both countries and broader bilateral relations, according to Taliban statements.
The delegation, which included Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan, met Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
According to Taliban statements, discussions focused on U.S. citizens held in Afghanistan, Afghan citizens in the United States, expanding bilateral ties, investment opportunities, and other matters of mutual interest.
During the talks, Baradar called for the normalization of relations between the U.S. and the Taliban, urging Washington to engage with the group, lift sanctions, and participate in Afghanistan’s reconstruction.
The U.S. delegation, according to the Taliban statement, emphasized the implementation of the Doha Agreement, prisoner exchanges, and economic collaboration.
“Adam Boehler, referring to the issue of detained citizens between Afghanistan and the United States, said that both countries will exchange prisoners,” the Taliban said.
In a separate meeting with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, similar issues were discussed. The Taliban Foreign Ministry said both sides “emphasized continuing talks on existing and upcoming issues in bilateral relations, particularly regarding citizens held as prisoners in each other’s countries.”
The ministry added that Boehler expressed condolences for the victims of the recent earthquake in eastern Afghanistan, described his previous visit as productive, and called for follow-up on prior meetings to achieve “tangible results.” He also said that the United States “respects the right of nations to freely choose their paths and does not intend to impose anything on the Afghan people,” the ministry said.
This was the second US delegation visit to Afghanistan since the country’s military withdrawal in August 2021 and the Taliban’s return to power. The first visit, in March, also led by Boehler and Khalilzad, resulted in the release of U.S. citizen George Glezmann, who had been detained since December 2022. Following his release, Washington lifted multi-million-dollar bounties on several Taliban leaders, including $10 million for Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani and $5 million each for Abdul Aziz Haqqani and Yahya Haqqani.
It remains unclear how many US citizens are still held by the Taliban, a group known for detaining Western hostages to gain political leverage or secure prisoner exchanges. US officials believe Mahmod Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American who went missing in Kabul in 2022, may still be in Taliban custody, although Taliban leaders have consistently denied holding him. In June, Washington offered a reward of up to $5 million for information on his whereabouts.
