For the first time in years, the Taliban says it has arrested and imprisoned American citizens, and is hoping to use them in a prisoner swap. The Taliban says that at least two US citizens are being held after violating Afghan laws, while the Washington Examiner has said three are in custody.

The detained individuals have been identified as George Glezmann, Mahmood Habibi, and Ryan Corbett – as confirmed also by a State Department statement. A Taliban government spokesperson announced that the “American nationals violated the country’s law, and discussion has been held with the US officials in this regard.”

AFP via Getty Images

And Taliban chief spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid recently told reporters in Kabul that “the topic of a prisoner release was discussed during his recent meeting with US officials in Doha, continuing a recurring theme in their negotiations.”

“Afghanistan’s conditions must be met. We have our citizens who are imprisoned in the US and Guantanamo,” Mujahid stated. “We should free our prisoners in exchange for them. Just as their prisoners are important to America, Afghans are equally important to us,” he added.

It as yet unclear what precise charges the men are being held on, but Afghan national media has alluded to the possibility of “espionage” – which would be a very serious accusation, possibly resulting in a capital case.

Both Glezmann and Corbett were initially detained in 2022, with the former having previously described he was on a tour of the country’s unique cultural landscape and history. US officials have complained that the American nationals are being held without charge or due process. Less is known about the third person who might be in custody, Muhammed Habibi, who is a US-Afghan dual citizen.

The Taliban has exercised complete control over the war-torn, central Asian country since the US coalition pullout of August 2021, which by all accounts was chaotic and resulted in both US military and Afghan civilian deaths. 

The US State Department has since then designated Afghanistan as a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” country for American citizens.

An official alert says the risk of detention for foreign travelers is high. “Multiple terrorist groups are active in country and U.S. citizens are targets of kidnapping and wrongful detentions. The Department has assessed that there is a risk of wrongful detention of U.S. citizens by the Taliban,” the US State Dept. says.

According to sources, Taliban’s Minister of Interior, Sirajuddin Haqqani, is set to meet US security officials during his visit to the #UAE.#Taliban are currently holding several Americans in their prisons, among them Ryan Corbett & George Glezmann. Paul Overby also disappeared… pic.twitter.com/UMy85zPONK

— Hostage Aid Worldwide (@HostageAid) June 6, 2024

“The Taliban have harassed and detained aid and humanitarian workers. The activities of foreigners may be viewed with suspicion, and reasons for detention may be unclear. Even if you are registered with the appropriate authorities to conduct business, the risk of detention is high,” the notification says.