In a significant diplomatic development, Afghanistan’s Taliban government released American citizen Amir Amiri from detention on Sunday. The release marks the latest in a series of high-profile prisoner exchanges facilitated by international mediation. Amiri, 36, had been held in Afghanistan since December 2024, though details surrounding his case remain scarce. He was handed over to Adam Boehler, the U.S. Special Envoy on Hostage Affairs, who recently visited Kabul to negotiate the release. Amiri is expected to undergo medical checks in Doha, Qatar, before returning to the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the release, emphasizing the Biden administration’s commitment to securing the freedom of Americans detained abroad. This follows the release of an elderly British couple last week and other Americans earlier this year, all mediated by Qatar. The Taliban government has expressed a desire to improve relations with the U.S. and other nations, despite ongoing accusations of human rights violations. However, Western countries continue to advise against travel to Afghanistan, where dozens of foreign nationals have been detained since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.