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US citizen Amir Amiry, who had been "wrongfully detained" in Afghanistan, has been released and is now back on American soil, the State Department said on Sunday (local time).
The US State Department released a statement celebrating Amiry's homecoming and highlighting the critical role of Qatar in securing his release. "Today, thanks to President Trump's leadership and commitment to the American people, the United States welcomes home US citizen Amir Amiry, who was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan," the release stated. "We express our sincere gratitude to Qatar, whose strong partnership and tireless diplomatic efforts were vital to securing his release," it added. Further, the State Department emphasised that "this homecoming reflects this Administration's determination, reinforced by the President's recent Executive Order, to protect US nationals from wrongful detention abroad." The statement also underscored that while this marks an important step forward, "additional Americans remain unjustly detained in Afghanistan." "President Trump will not rest until all our captive citizens are back home. This release today is a significant step by the administration in Kabul to effect that goal," the US State Department noted. Amir Amiry, 36, had been detained in Afghanistan by the Taliban since December 2024. He is the latest American to be released through the United States' security and diplomatic partnership with Qatar, a Gulf state with which the US has maintained a strong relationship for decades, CNN reported. The US does not have a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, having closed its embassy there after the Taliban takeover in August 2022. The circumstances of why Amiry was in Afghanistan or why he was detained aren't clear, according to CNN. Qatari Minister of State Mohammed Al-Khulaifi said in a statement released by the country's foreign ministry that Qatar "remains committed to advancing mediation efforts aimed at achieving peaceful solutions to conflicts and complex international issues." According to sources, there are at least three other Americans detained in Afghanistan, as well as Paul Overby, who is believed to be deceased. There is hope that this release will be the first of more to come. (ANI)
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