American citizen released after two months in Taliban custody

New Delhi, Mar 30: An American citizen, Faye Hall, has been released by the Taliban after being held in Afghanistan for two months. She is now in the care of Qatari officials and is expected to return home soon. Hall was arrested in February alongside a British couple, Barbie and Peter Reynolds, and their interpreter. The Reynolds, both in their seventies, have remained in detention, BBC reported.

The couple had been running training programs for women and girls in Afghanistan and chose to stay when the Taliban regained control of the country in 2021. Afghan authorities have not disclosed the reasons for their arrests.

Hall’s release follows efforts by Qatar, which has acted as an intermediary between the United States and the Taliban. She is the fourth American citizen to be freed since January, as part of a series of releases facilitated by Qatari negotiations. Days earlier, another U.S. citizen, George Glezmann, was also released after two years in detention. Afghan officials described his release as a humanitarian decision and a goodwill gesture. The timing of these releases coincides with recent high-level talks between U.S. officials and Taliban representatives in Kabul, BBC reported. These discussions marked the most direct engagement between the two sides since the inauguration of the new American administration. However, the U.S. government’s broader policy toward Afghanistan and the Taliban remains uncertain.

The issue of Afghanistan continues to be a contentious topic in U.S. politics. During his previous tenure, Donald Trump negotiated an agreement to withdraw American and allied troops from the country within 14 months. This deal, which excluded Afghanistan’s Western-backed government, led to the swift takeover by Taliban forces in 2021. The withdrawal was widely criticised, particularly after a deadly attack at Kabul airport that killed at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 U.S. soldiers. Trump has since blamed his successor, Joe Biden, for the chaotic nature of the exit.

Meanwhile, BBC reported that concerns remain over the condition of Peter Reynolds, who is reported to be suffering from serious medical issues while in Taliban custody. His daughter has alleged that he has experienced physical mistreatment and lacks access to necessary medication. The Reynolds’ family has urged the Taliban to release the couple so they can receive proper medical care.