Taliban release 2 American citizens in ‘goodwill’ move

The Taliban released two American citizens who had been held captive in Afghanistan in an act of “goodwill,” the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday. 

According to State Department spokesman Ned Price, their release was not part of any deal with the U.S. and was purely an act of “goodwill” by the Taliban. The two U.S. citizens were sent to Doha, Qatar, to be handed over to U.S. custody.

“This was not part of any swap of prisoners or detainees,” Price added. “There was no money that exchanged hands.”

"We understand this, or at least the Taliban characterized this to us, as a goodwill gesture," Price continued.

One of the two American released was filmmaker Ivor Shearer, according to a report by CNN. He was arrested in August while filming a U.S. drone strike site in Kabul, where al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed almost four months ago. 

The identity of the second American is being withheld at the request of their family, CNN added.  

“We are providing these two US nationals with all appropriate assistance,” Price said. “They will soon be reunited with their loved ones and we are absolutely gratified to see that.”

As part of a prisoner swap in September, the Taliban released Mark Frerichs, an American held captive in Afghanistan for more than two years. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that his release was “the result of intense engagement with the Taliban.” 

Frerichs was exchanged for Bashir Noorzai, a convicted drug smuggler who had been in prison in the U.S. since 2005 and was granted clemency by President Joe Biden.