KABUL: Two American prisoners were being held in custody in Afghanistan, a Taleban government spokesman said Wednesday, and an “exchange” for Afghans held in Guantanamo Bay had been discussed with the United States. Zabihullah Mujahid did not name the US prisoners, but an American woman was among more than a dozen staff of an international NGO arrested by Taleban authorities last September, and aid worker Ryan Corbett has been in custody since 2022.

“We should be able to free our citizens in (an) exchange, as American citizens are important for them (the United States), just as Afghans are important for us,” Mujahid told a press conference in Kabul.

He said discussions over a prisoner exchange were held with US representatives during United Nations-led talks in Qatar. The talks, which gathered UN officials, Taleban authorities and the special envoys to Afghanistan, ended on Monday. “Two American citizens are imprisoned in Afghanistan,” Mujahid told the press conference, adding that Afghan prisoners were also held in the United States, including in the secretive US prison in Cuba.

“We have had discussions on their release with them (the United States) before. Afghanistan’s conditions should be accepted,” he said. An American woman was among at least 18 staff of non-governmental organization International Assistance Mission (IAM) detained on accusations of carrying out Christian missionary work. The UN in June warned Corbett’s “life could be at risk” and called for Taleban authorities to give him “immediate access to medical treatment for his deteriorating health”.

Dozens of foreigners have been detained by the Taleban authorities since the group’s return to power in August 2021. Many countries, including the United States, warn against citizens travelling to Afghanistan, citing risks of wrongful detention, violence and kidnapping. At least one Afghan prisoner remains in detention at Guantanamo Bay, Muhammad Rahim, whose family called for his release in November.

In February, two former prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay until 2017 were welcomed home to Afghanistan, more than 20 years after they were arrested. Abdul Karim and Abdul Zahir had been transferred to Oman and held under house arrest until their release. They were among hundreds of suspected militants captured by US forces and held in Guantanamo Bay.

US authorities faced accusations of torture and abuse against prisoners at the facility, where many were held without charge or the legal power to challenge their detention. Most of the military prison’s inmates have been released over the years, including senior Taleban leaders. The US government has said for years it is working to reduce the number of detainees and eventually shut down Guantanamo Bay, which lies on the island of Cuba but is under US jurisdiction. – AFP