An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that Bashir Noorzai was being held at Guantanamo Bay. He was serving a life sentence in a federal penitentiary. The article has been corrected. PESHAWAR, Pakistan — American hostage Mark Frerichs, a civilian contractor kidnapped in Kabul two years ago, has been released in exchange for an Afghan prisoner being held in a U.S. federal prison, a top Taliban official said Monday. Frerichs’ family welcomed his release in a statement, saying they were “grateful and excited to learn he has been released” after being held for more than 2½ years. “I am so glad to hear that my brother is safe and on his way home. Our family prays for this every day,” Charlene Cakora, his sister, said in the statement from the Camden Advisory Group, which supported his release. “We never gave up hope that he would survive and return safely to our home.” President Biden, in a statement, announced Fririch’s release, but made no mention of the prisoner exchange. “Today, we secured the release of Mark Frerichs and he will soon be home. Mark was captured in Afghanistan in January 2020 and held for 31 months,” Biden said. “His release is the culmination of many years of tireless work by dedicated public servants across our government and other partner governments and I want to thank them for all that effort.” The president added that “bringing the negotiations that led to Mark’s freedom to a successful resolution required difficult decisions, which I did not take lightly. Biden said he spoke with Frerichs’ sister and the focus will be on his health, safe return and transition back into society. Frerichs’ release was the subject of negotiations between top US and Taliban officials leading up to the signing of the US withdrawal agreement in Doha, Qatar, and in the months since the Biden administration oversaw the end of the US military presence in Afghanistan last year. US plan to pull out of Afghanistan sparks fears US hostages held by Taliban will be left behind As withdrawal loomed without a deal to secure his release, his family and advocates feared the United States would lose all power to free him. However, a senior administration official said Monday that “Mark’s return home was a top priority for President Biden and his national security team.” The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the prisoner swap, added that Biden’s decision to pardon the Afghan prisoner in exchange for Fririch’s freedom was “difficult.” The released prisoner, Bashir Noorzai (also known as Haji Bashir Noorzai) — a warlord and drug dealer with ties to the Taliban — was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to life in federal prison in 2005 after being lured to the United States. “We welcome the release of Haji Bashir, an Afghan who spent 17 years in the United States. This will open a new chapter in bilateral relations between the United States and Afghanistan,” Deputy Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki said at a press conference in Kabul broadcast on local television. “We are persistent in our efforts to break free [Noorzai], and now he is with us in his country,” Muttaqi continued. He said the two men were exchanged at Kabul International Airport. Celebrations, uncertainty and fear grip Kabul a year later Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the Biden administration has not officially recognized the group. The two sides have repeatedly clashed over the Taliban’s treatment of women and their approach to civil liberties. and the fate of billions of dollars in US-held Afghan national reserves. Last week, the Taliban condemned a move by the United States to redirect $3.5 billion in reserves to a fund run in part by Swiss officials and Afghan financial experts. The move “without any input from Afghanistan is unacceptable and a violation of international norms,” the foreign ministry said in a statement after the announcement. But Monday’s news of the swap could signal an improvement in relations between the two sides. George reported from Islamabad.
