The Biden administration is reportedly negotiating with the Taliban to swap three Americans detained in Afghanistan for a prisoner at Guantanamo Bay who was allegedly a close aide to Osama bin Laden.
The talks, which have been ongoing since at least July of last year, include the exchange of prominent Al-Qaeda aide Muhammad Rahim al-Afghani for American citizens George Glezman, Ryan Corbett and Mahmoud Habibi, who were arrested in Afghanistan in 2022, according to what Reuters reported. The Wall Street Journal.
The newspaper reported that after the White House proposed making this swap in November, the Taliban offered it and requested Rahim and two others in exchange for Glezman and Corbett.
Members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee told the newspaper that National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan later told them during a secret session on December 17, 2024, that Biden was still considering the offer. One attendee added that during the meeting, committee chairman Rep. Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas, expressed concern that the Taliban's counteroffer was not a good deal for the United States.
“The safety and security of Americans abroad is one of the top priorities of the Biden-Harris administration, and we are working around the clock to ensure the safe return of George, Ryan, and Mahmoud,” National Security Council spokesman Sean Savitt recently told The Wall. Street magazine.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
