The prisoner exchange was concluded in the final hours of the Biden administration, occurring against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between the US and Afghanistan.

Two Americans held in Afghanistan were freed in exchange for a Taliban fighter serving a life sentence in the United States, according to authorities in Kabul on Tuesday.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, "An Afghan fighter Khan Mohammad, imprisoned in America, has been released in exchange for American citizens and returned to the country." Mohammad had been extradited to the US nearly 20 years ago, where he was incarcerated in California on charges related to drug trafficking.

At the time of his extradition, the US Justice Department described Mohammad as "a violent jihadist and narcotics trafficker" who had attempted to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan using rockets.

The exchange saw Mohammad's release in return for US citizens Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, according to reports from US media.

Corbett had been in Taliban custody since 2022 after being abducted while on a business trip. His family expressed deep gratitude for his release, saying in a statement, "Our hearts are filled with overwhelming gratitude and praise to God for sustaining Ryan's life and bringing him back home after what has been the most challenging and uncertain 894 days of our lives."

The family also thanked both the administrations of former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump for their efforts, as well as Qatar for its pivotal role in the negotiations.

Following the release of Corbett and McKenty, two other Americans—George Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi—remain in Taliban custody. The Biden administration had been attempting to broker a deal to free them in exchange for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

The prisoner swap, which was finalized in the final hours of the Biden administration, took place amid ongoing tensions between the US and Afghanistan. The deal, brokered by Qatar, represents a rare instance of cooperation between the two countries.

The Taliban praised the "long and fruitful negotiations" with the US. "The Islamic Emirate looks positively at the actions of the United States of America that help the normalization and development of relations between the two countries," a statement from the group read.

Despite the release, international recognition of Afghanistan's Taliban-led government remains elusive, largely due to human rights concerns, including the continued restrictions on women.