NextFin news, On Saturday, September 13, 2025, United States special envoy Adam Boehler visited Kabul, Afghanistan, where he met with Taliban officials to discuss and agree on a prisoner exchange between the two sides, according to Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Taliban deputy prime minister Abdul Ghani Baradar's office.
The talks included Boehler and former US special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad meeting with Afghanistan's acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. Following the meeting, Baradar's office stated that both countries will proceed with exchanging prisoners detained in each other's custody.
The US government has not yet released an official statement confirming the details or timing of the exchange. However, the agreement follows previous exchanges, including the release of American airline mechanic George Glezmann in March 2025 and two Americans freed in January 2025 in exchange for an Afghan national serving life sentences in the US.
Among Americans believed held in Afghanistan is Mahmood Habibi, a naturalized US citizen and businessman who disappeared in 2022. The US is offering a $5 million reward for information on his whereabouts, while the Taliban denies involvement in his disappearance.
The Taliban government has also pressed for the release of Muhammad Rahim, the last Afghan national held at Guantanamo Bay since 2008 without charge.
Both sides emphasized continuing discussions on bilateral issues, especially concerning nationals imprisoned in each other's countries, aiming to normalize relations despite the complex history between the US and the Taliban following the 20-year conflict.
The visit and agreement represent a rare diplomatic engagement since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021, with the US envoy's presence in Kabul marking a significant step in ongoing negotiations.
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