WASHINGTON — More than two years after being captured while traveling in Afghanistan, American citizen George Glezmann has been freed by the Taliban. This release is the outcome of coordinated negotiations involving the Trump administration and Qatari intermediaries, as announced by the State Department on Thursday.
George Glezmann, a 66-year-old airline mechanic from Atlanta, became the third American detainee to be released by the Taliban since this past January. He was initially detained by the Taliban’s intelligence services in December 2022, and the U.S. government soon flagged his case as a wrongful detention.
In a formal statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Glezmann is now en route to the United States, where he will be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra. Rubio commended Qatar for its “steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts,” which he deemed “instrumental in securing George’s release.” He emphasized, “George’s release is a positive and constructive step, and serves as a reminder that several Americans remain detained in Afghanistan. President Trump is committed to tirelessly working toward the release of ALL Americans unjustly detained worldwide.”
Accompanying Glezmann back to the U.S., via Doha’s capital, is Adam Boehler, a key figure dealing with hostage situations for President Donald Trump’s administration. The Taliban earlier disclosed that Boehler had met with a group that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
At the time of his abduction, Glezmann was in Afghanistan pursuing his passion for travel, having previously explored over 100 countries. This interest was highlighted in a profile by the Foley Foundation, an organization advocating for the release of Americans detained internationally.
The nature of Glezmann’s release aligns with the Taliban’s previous gestures towards “normalizing” relations with the U.S. following the tumultuous U.S. withdrawal from Afghan soil in 2021. Nonetheless, the regime’s rule remains unrecognized by most countries.
Glezmann’s return follows an earlier agreement brokered in the final days of the Biden administration, which resulted in the release of Americans Ryan Corbett and William McKenty. Those individuals were exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who had been serving two life sentences in the U.S. for narcotics-related crimes.
Unlike the arrangement involving prisoner exchanges, no detainee was exchanged for Glezmann’s release. An official familiar with the negotiations relayed that this release was made as a gesture of goodwill and emphasized anonymity in discussing the sensitive nature of the deal.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the release on humanitarian grounds in a statement, asserting that “dialogue, understanding, and diplomacy provide effective avenues for resolving all issues.”
Earlier, President Joe Biden had considered a separate proposal that would have facilitated Glezmann’s release alongside other Americans. This would have involved Muhammad Rahim, a remaining Guantanamo Bay detainee. However, during a discussion with the families, Biden made clear his decision not to proceed with the trade unless the Taliban released Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American who disappeared in 2022 while employed by a Kabul-based telecommunications company.
Though the FBI and Habibi’s family assert his detention by Taliban forces, the Taliban denies holding him. On Thursday, Habibi’s representatives highlighted “overwhelming evidence” suggesting his capture by the Taliban following a search of his home by individuals identifying themselves as Taliban security personnel.
Ahmad, one of Habibi’s brothers, expressed in a statement, “We are confident that the Trump Administration will stand firm on the release of my brother as a prerequisite for advancing U.S. relations. We firmly believe Mahmood is alive and held by the Taliban, notwithstanding their hollow denials. He is an innocent man unjustly separated from his family, including a young daughter and elderly parents, for 953 days.”