US hostage George Glezmann released by Taliban, State Department says

Thursday

Listen

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Jake Larsen (Video Editor)

The Taliban released U.S. citizen George Glezmann on Thursday, March 20, after holding him for more than two years. This follows negotiations led by State Department officials and mediated by Qatar.
President Donald Trump’s current U.S. hostage envoy, Adam Boehler, and former envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, met with Taliban officials in Kabul, while Qatari mediators facilitated Glezmann’s transfer to Doha.
The Taliban described the release as a “goodwill gesture.”

Full Story

The Taliban released U.S. citizen George Glezmann on Thursday, March 20, after more than two years in captivity, following diplomatic negotiations led by Trump administration officials and mediated by Qatar.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Glezmann, a 65-year-old Delta Airlines mechanic, was detained in December 2022 while visiting Kabul as a tourist. His release marks the third time this year that the Taliban have freed an American.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

Diplomatic negotiations

The release followed months of behind-the-scenes discussions involving Adam Boehler, Trump’s hostage envoy, and former envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

Boehler met with Taliban officials in Doha at least three times since January to discuss the case, according to U.S. officials.

On Thursday, he and Khalilzad traveled to Kabul to meet with the Taliban’s foreign minister, discussing bilateral issues, the release of American detainees and consular services for Afghans in the U.S.

Qatari mediators played a critical role in arranging Glezmann’s transfer from Kabul to Doha, where Boehler and a Qatari Foreign Ministry team met him.

A diplomatic source confirmed to Fox News that the Taliban released Glezmann as a “goodwill gesture” to demonstrate trust in Qatar’s role as a mediator between Washington and Kabul.

This agreement differed from the releases of Americans Ryan Corbett and William McKenty earlier this year coordinated by the Biden Administration, which involved a prisoner exchange with a Taliban member in U.S. custody.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reacts

Secretary of State Marco Rubio celebrated Glezmann’s release on X, stating, “After two and a half years of captivity, George Glezmann is finally coming home to his wife, Aleksandra.”

George Glezmann is free. George was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for two and a half years, but now he’s on his way to be reunited with his wife Aleksandra. Welcome home, George! 🇺🇸
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 20, 2025

He also expressed appreciation for Qatar’s role in the negotiations.

Other Americans still detained

Trump and Rubio are reportedly pushing the Taliban to release all Americans detained in Afghanistan.

Among those still believed in Taliban custody is American businessman Mahmood Habibi, who was captured in 2022. The Taliban has denied holding him.

For now, Glezmann’s release marks a rare moment of agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban. However, many questions remain about the future of Americans still detained in Afghanistan.

Tags: Donald Trump, hostage, Qatar, State Department, Taliban

[Karah Rucker]

AN AMERICAN CITIZEN HAS BEEN FREED AFTER MORE THAN TWO YEARS IN TALIBAN CAPTIVITY.

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PICTURE IS “GEORGE GLEZMANN” FOLLOWING HIS RELEASE THURSDAY –

AFTER DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS LED BY STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS AND MEDIATED BY QATAR. THE 65-YEAR-OLD DELTA AIRLINES MECHANIC HAD BEEN DETAINED IN AFGHANISTAN SINCE DECEMBER 2022 WHILE VISITING KABUL AS A TOURIST.

OFFICIALS SAY THE RELEASE CAME AFTER MONTHS OF BEHIND-THE-SCENES TALKS. PRESIDENT TRUMP’S CURRENT U.S. HOSTAGE ENVOY “ADAM BOEHLER” AND FORMER ENVOY “ZALMAY KHALILZAD” –

MET WITH TALIBAN OFFICIALS IN KABUL.

QATARI MEDIATORS THEN FACILITATED GLEZMANN’S TRANSFER TO DOHA –

THE CAPITOL OF QATAR.

THE TALIBAN DESCRIBED THE MOVE AS A QUOTE “GOODWILL GESTURE” TO STRENGTHEN TRUST IN QATAR’S ROLE AS AN INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE U.S. AND AFGHANISTAN.

SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO CELEBRATED THE HOSTAGE RELEASE ON X –

SAYING “George Glezmann is free. George was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for two and a half years, but now he’s on his way to be reunited with his wife Aleksandra. Welcome home, George!”

MEANWHILE, OTHER AMERICANS ARE STILL BELIEVED TO BE IN TALIBAN CUSTODY, INCLUDING BUSINESSMAN MAHMOOD HABIBI, WHO DISAPPEARED IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2022.

THE TALIBAN DENIES HOLDING HIM – DESPITE THE FBI BELIEVING HE WAS TAKEN BY TALIBAN’S MILITARY.

WHILE U.S. OFFICIALS CELEBRATE GLEZMANN’S RELEASE, QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AS A WHOLE WITH THE TALIBAN.

WASHINGTON HAS YET TO ESTABLISH OFFICIAL TIES WITH THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT SINCE THE TALIBAN’S TAKEOVER IN 2021.

THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE.

FOR MORE STORIES THAT MATTER TO YOU –

DOWNLOAD THE SAN MOBILE APP TODAY.