An Afghan national has been released from a U.S. prison in exchange for the release of American nationals, Afghanistan’s Taliban Government announced on Tuesday.

Khan Mohammad was detained nearly two decades ago in Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nangarhar and later sentenced to life imprisonment by a U.S. court.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry said this in a statement.

He had been serving his sentence in California.

The identities of the American citizens released as part of the deal and the circumstances of their detention were not disclosed.

The ministry added that the exchange followed extensive negotiations and expressed gratitude to Qatar for its mediation role in facilitating the agreement.

It came after the Taliban had confirmed ongoing talks with the U.S. regarding a potential prisoner exchange in recent weeks.

A Taliban spokesman stated that several Afghans were currently held in U.S. prisons.

American media outlets have also reported that then-President Joe Biden’s administration engaged in secret discussions with the Taliban to secure the release of three American citizens held in Afghanistan.

They were held, potentially in exchange for at least one Guantanamo Bay detainee, Muhammad Rahim al-Afghani.

The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001 following the 9/11 terror attacks, leading to a 20-year military presence in the country.

A peace agreement with the Taliban paved the way for the U.S. withdrawal, completed in August 2021, with the Taliban regaining control of the country.

(dpa/NAN)