Afghan authorities on Monday confirmed the release of a U.S. civil engineer in exchange for an Afghan druglord sentenced to life imprisonment by a U.S. court.

The U.S. national, Mark Frerichs, disappeared in Afghanistan in 2020.

Speaking at a press conference, Taliban Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, said the swap of the famous drug dealer, Bashir Noorzai, for Mr Frerichs took place with a U.S. delegation in Kabul’s airport.

The U.S. authorities have not commented on the prisoner swap yet.

It was suspected for a long time that Mr Frerichs was abducted by the Haqqanis, a notorious network within the Taliban, who demanded the release of Mr Noorzai.

Mr Noorzai was a financial supporter of the Taliban during their first period in power in the 1990s but was hired as an undercover agent on behalf of the U.S. government in the early 2000s.

He was arrested in 2005 in the U.S. for heroin smuggling and sentenced to life in prison.

After his release, Mr Noorzai was welcomed by the Taliban’s notorious GDI intelligence forces with flowers at Kabul airport. Later he spoke at a televised event at a grand hotel in the city.

Mr Noorzai said he was in prison for more than 17 years, and his release would have been impossible without the Taliban’s efforts.

He also hoped that his release would bring the relations between the Taliban in Kabul and Washington closer.

The Taliban has a history of hostage-taking in return for ransom or other political aims.

In June, five British nationals being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan were released from detention.

Simultaneously, London announced it did not support anyone seeking to achieve political change through violence in Afghanistan. 

(dpa/NAN)