An American man held hostage for more than two years in Afghanistan has been released by the Taliban, according to the State Department. The release was facilitated through negotiations involving US officials and Qatari mediators.
George Glezmann, a 65-year-old airline mechanic from Atlanta, was detained by the Taliban’s intelligence services in December 2022 while traveling in Afghanistan. The US government later classified his detention as wrongful. His release marks the third American freed by the Taliban since January.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Glezmann is returning home to reunite with his wife, Aleksandra.
“Today, after two and a half years of captivity in Afghanistan, Delta Airlines mechanic George Glezmann is on his way to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra. George joins American Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, who were released from Afghanistan on the night of President Trump’s inauguration and returned home to their families.
We extend our deepest appreciation to the State of Qatar, whose steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts were instrumental in securing George’s release. Qatar has consistently proven to be a reliable partner and trusted mediator, facilitating complex negotiations.
George’s release is a positive and constructive step. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world” Rubio said in the press statement.
Taliban releases kidnapped American hostage George Glezmann, 65, after holding him for more than two years in Afghanistan.
negotiations brokered by Trump envoy Adam Boehler and Qatari officials. pic.twitter.com/qQRY1gu9cZ
— The Window (@wodniweht) March 20, 2025
Glezmann is traveling back to the United States through Doha, Qatar, accompanied by Adam Boehler, a US official specializing in hostage affairs under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The Taliban disclosed Thursday that Boehler had recently met with Afghan officials, including Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, to discuss hostage cases.
The group has described Glezmann’s release as part of ongoing efforts as the “normalization” of relations with the United States following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. However, most countries, including the US, still do not recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s official government.
His release follows a similar agreement in January, in which two Americans, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, were freed with Qatari mediation.
Unlike past deals, Glezmann’s release did not involve a prisoner exchange. A US official familiar with the negotiations said the Taliban freed him as a goodwill gesture.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said previous discussions had considered an exchange but did not result in a swap.
In contrast, the Taliban previously confirmed that Corbett and McKenty were exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who had been detained on the battlefield in Nangarhar, Afghanistan, before being brought to the US. He was convicted under narco-terrorism laws and sentenced to two life terms in 2008.
Discussions surrounding American detainees in Afghanistan remain ongoing. Before leaving office, former President Joe Biden considered a separate proposal to secure the release of Glezmann and other detained Americans. That deal would have included exchanging them for Muhammad Rahim, one of the last remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Biden, however, rejected the proposal unless the Taliban also released Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who disappeared in Kabul in 2022.
The FBI and Habibi’s family believe he was taken by Taliban forces, though the Taliban denies holding him. His representatives insist there is “overwhelming evidence” that Taliban security officials arrested him after searching his home.
Ahmad Habibi, his brother, urged the US to remain firm on his release. “We are confident that the Trump Administration will hold firm that my brother needs to be released for relations with the US to move forward,” he said in a statement.
“We have reason to be confident Mahmood is alive and in Taliban custody, despite their hollow denials of holding him. My brother is an innocent man who has been held away from his wife, young daughter, and elderly parents for 953 days.”
