George Glezmann, an American airline mechanic abducted while travelling through Afghanistan as a tourist more than two years ago, has been released by the Taliban. The deal was brokered by Donald Trump's hostage envoy, Adam Boehler, and Qatari negotiators.
Glezmann, from Atlanta, was seized by the Taliban's intelligence services in December 2022 and was designated by the US government as wrongfully detained the following year. He is the third American detainee released by the Taliban since January.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Glezmann was on his way back to the United States to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra. Rubio praised Qatar for its 'steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts', which he said were 'instrumental in securing George's release'. He added: 'George's release is a positive and constructive step. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan.'
Unlike a previous exchange that secured the release of two other Americans in exchange for a convicted drug trafficker, the US did not give up any prisoner to secure Glezmann's release. An official briefed on the matter described it as a goodwill gesture.
The Taliban disclosed earlier on Thursday that Boehler had been meeting on hostage issues with a delegation that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The release is part of what the Taliban has described as the 'normalisation' of ties between the US and Afghanistan following the chaotic US withdrawal in 2021.
