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WASHINGTON — The Trump administration just scored its fifth release so far this year of an American citizen held hostage in Afghanistan.
Amir Amiry, who had been held in Afghanistan since December, was set free by the Taliban over the weekend with help from Qatari diplomats who facilitated negotiations, officials said.
Amiry was en route back to the US as of Sunday afternoon, an official familiar with the release told The Post.
“We express our sincere gratitude to Qatar, whose strong partnership and tireless diplomatic efforts were vital to securing his release,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.
“While this marks an important step forward, additional Americans remain unjustly detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will not rest until all our captive citizens are back home.”
It is not clear what Amiry was doing in Afghanistan or why he was abducted.
His freedom follows the releases of businessman Ryan Corbett and William McKenty in January, as well as George Glezmann, who was there on a “cultural” trip, and Faye Hall, who was picked up for operating a drone without authorization, in March.
Qatar, which has helped mediate other disputes in the Middle East, worked to broker a meeting between Amiry and the US special envoy to Afghanistan in March, the source said. It isn’t known what if any concessions were made to the Taliban to secure Amiry’s release.
Negotiations carried on for months until a breakthrough was achieved over the weekend.
Doha is also busy working to broker an end to the war in Gaza and secure the release of the Israelis held hostage by Hamas.
The oil-rich country is trying to mediate other conflicts as well, such as the Russian-Ukrainian war, tensions within Venezuela and fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, Qatar has maintained diplomatic relations with the regime and pressed for humanitarian corridors to stay open.
Qatar has also pressed the Taliban to show more respect for women, particularly in the realm of education and the right to work.
Trump recently made waves by calling for the US to regain control of Bagram airbase, which it lost during the disastrous US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
