WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration is currently engaged in negotiations with the government of Afghanistan regarding the potential exchange of American citizens who are currently detained in the country for a high-profile prisoner being held at Guantanamo Bay. This prisoner is said to have alleged ties to the former leader of al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden. The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that the negotiations are underway.
At present, representatives for the White House and the U.S. State Department have not provided an immediate response to requests for comments on the report. Similarly, representatives for the Afghan Taliban have also not responded immediately.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Biden administration is aiming to secure the release of three Americans who were seized in 2022. The individuals in question are identified as Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann, and Mahmood Habibi. In exchange, the U.S. government is reportedly seeking the transfer of Muhammad Rahim al-Afghani.
Ryan Corbett and Mahmood Habibi were both detained in separate incidents in August 2022, following the seizure of Kabul by the Taliban amidst a tumultuous U.S. withdrawal. George Glezmann, who was visiting as a tourist, was detained later in the same year.
Muhammad Rahim al-Afghani, described as a high-level al Qaeda operative, was transferred to Guantanamo Bay in 2008 from CIA custody.
Sources cited by the Wall Street Journal indicate that discussions surrounding this potential exchange have been ongoing since July. The information was revealed during a classified briefing held for the House Foreign Affairs Committee last month, which was attended by White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
The report on these negotiations comes shortly after the Biden administration recently facilitated the transfer of 11 Guantanamo detainees to Oman on Monday. This move resulted in a significant reduction in the prisoner population at the detention center in Cuba, cutting it nearly in half. The initiative is part of the administration’s broader efforts to close the facility as President Biden prepares to conclude his term on January 20.
Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by Ed Osmond and Chizu Nomiyama
