Biden Engages with Families of Americans Held by Taliban Amid Ongoing Negotiations for Their Release

President Joe Biden recently spoke with the families of three Americans detained in Afghanistan. The US government is working to secure their release before Biden's term ends next week. The conversation involved relatives of Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann, and Mahmoud Habibi. A potential deal could see their return in exchange for Muhammad Rahim, a detainee at Guantanamo Bay.

Corbett was abducted by the Taliban in August 2022 during a business trip. He had been living in Afghanistan since the US-backed government fell in 2021. Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was taken by Taliban intelligence in December 2022 while travelling through the country. Officials believe both men are still held by the Taliban.

Negotiations and Challenges

Habibi, an Afghan American businessman, also went missing in 2022. He worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company. The FBI reported that Habibi and his driver were taken along with 29 other employees. However, all except Habibi and one other person have been released. The Taliban denies holding Habibi, complicating negotiations.

Biden assured the families that he would not trade Rahim unless the Taliban releases Habibi. "President Biden was very clear in telling us that he would not trade Rahim if the Taliban do not let my brother go," said Ahmad Habibi, Mahmoud's brother. "He said he would not leave him behind."

Legal Perspectives and Decisions

Ryan Fayhee, representing Corbett's family, expressed gratitude for Biden's call but urged action on the deal. "A deal is now on the table and the decision to accept it -- as imperfect as it may be -- resides exclusively with the president," Fayhee stated. He emphasised that hard decisions define great presidents.

If no agreement is reached by January 20, negotiations will fall to the incoming Trump administration. It's uncertain if they will pursue a different strategy regarding Rahim's release. Currently, only 15 detainees remain at Guantanamo Bay from a peak of nearly 800 under former President George W. Bush.

Guantanamo Bay Detainee Concerns

Rahim is among three detainees never charged but considered too dangerous to release. The US describes him as a direct advisor and operative for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida leaders. Despite this, no formal charges or evidence have been presented against him during his 17 years at Guantanamo.

Rahim's attorney, James Connell, informed a UN human rights commission that Rahim is systematically silenced by the US government. Connell claimed a US official told him that every word Rahim speaks is classified for national security reasons.

The Biden administration previously exchanged a convicted Taliban drug lord for an American civilian contractor held by the Taliban for over two years in September 2022.