An American woman, identified as Faye Hall, has been released from Taliban custody in Afghanistan, joining a growing list of US citizens freed through Qatari-brokered agreements, as per Al Jazeera.
The news was announced by Zalmay Khalilzad, former US envoy to Kabul.
“American citizen Faye Hall, just released by the Taliban, is now in the care of our friends, the Qataris in Kabul, and will soon be on her way home,” Khalilzad wrote on X, noting his involvement in the US delegation working on Taliban captive releases.
Hall’s release marks the fourth time an American citizen has been freed by the Taliban since January. Just weeks ago, George Glezmann, who had been detained in Afghanistan for over two years, was released and returned to the United States, reuniting with his family.
The Taliban characterized Glezmann’s release as a “goodwill gesture,” reflecting their desire to engage with the United States “on the basis of mutual respect and interests.” They have also framed previous releases of US detainees as part of their effort to achieve “normalization” on the global stage.
Despite these gestures, the Taliban remains largely isolated internationally since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021. No nation has officially recognized the Taliban government, although several maintain diplomatic presence in the country.
The Taliban’s takeover occurred during the Joe Biden administration’s withdrawal of US forces, a process initiated under the Trump administration.
While the Trump administration has yet to detail a comprehensive policy for dealing with the Taliban government in his second term, Trump has consistently criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. The chaotic withdrawal culminated in a bomb attack at Kabul’s airport, killing at least 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US soldiers.
