Washington’s engagement with Afghanistan took a significant turn on Saturday when Adam Boehler, the United States’ special envoy, made a rare visit to Kabul to meet with senior Taliban leaders. According to the Taliban government, the discussions centered on the possibility of a prisoner exchange between the two countries, a move that could reshape the delicate relations that have existed since the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.
“Adam Boehler, referring to the issue of detained citizens between Afghanistan and the United States, said that both countries will exchange prisoners,” read a statement from the office of Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar following their meeting.
The U.S. has not yet issued an official comment on Boehler’s visit, and no timeline has been confirmed for when such an exchange might take place. However, the matter remains pressing. At least one U.S. citizen, Mahmood Habibi, is confirmed to be held in Afghanistan. American authorities have offered a $5 million reward for information regarding his whereabouts, though Taliban officials deny involvement in his disappearance, which dates back to 2022.
Boehler’s trip to Kabul was not his first engagement on detainee issues. In March, he facilitated the release of George Glezmann, an American airline mechanic who had spent over two years in detention. On Saturday, Boehler was accompanied by former U.S. envoy to Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad, signaling Washington’s intention to use experienced diplomatic channels in addressing sensitive issues with the Taliban.
In addition to his talks with Baradar, Boehler also met Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. “Both sides emphasised that they will continue to discuss various existing and future issues in bilateral relations, especially those citizens who are imprisoned in both countries,” government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said on X, underscoring the broader scope of the discussions beyond detainee exchanges.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 following the U.S. military withdrawal, dozens of foreign nationals have been detained in Afghanistan. These arrests have often been shrouded in allegations of espionage, illegal activity, or political motivations, creating flashpoints with other governments. Just this week, Russia announced the release of a Russian ethnologist detained in Afghanistan since July. “He had been detained in Afghanistan since July, accused of several offences… and was released by the Afghan authorities at the request of the Russian side, given the friendly relations,” the Russian foreign ministry confirmed.
Russia remains the only nation to formally recognize the Taliban government, though a number of countries — including Pakistan, China, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran — have maintained active diplomatic missions in Kabul. Their continued presence has provided the Taliban with limited but critical channels of international legitimacy.
The United States, however, has taken a more cautious approach. While Washington continues to refuse formal recognition of the Taliban government, negotiations over detainees illustrate an effort to keep dialogue alive. In January, two U.S. citizens were freed in exchange for Khan Mohammed, an Afghan fighter convicted in the U.S. on charges of narco-terrorism.
For its part, the Taliban has been vocal about its willingness to improve ties. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Muttaqi once again called for a “return to normal relations,” stressing that there were no “irresolvable problems in bilateral relations.” Taliban officials continue to argue that despite decades of war, Afghanistan seeks peaceful cooperation with the international community, particularly with the United States.
Boehler’s visit, though largely focused on detainee exchanges, highlights a broader trend: quiet but ongoing negotiations between Washington and Kabul. Analysts suggest these talks are less about formal recognition and more about managing urgent humanitarian, security, and diplomatic challenges. With Americans still missing and detained, and the Taliban eager for global legitimacy, prisoner exchanges may become one of the few workable avenues for building limited cooperation between two adversaries bound by history and circumstance.
