KABUL — Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, and Adam Boehler, the U.S. presidential envoy for hostage affairs, met with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, in Kabul, according to a statement released Thursday by the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry.
The statement said the discussions focused on bilateral relations, consular services for Afghan citizens in the U.S., and prisoner exchange.
Muttaqi welcomed the U.S. delegation, calling the visit “a positive step toward improving bilateral relations.” He reiterated that the Taliban seek “balanced foreign relations” and are “committed to engaging with all parties in a constructive manner.”
He further stated that dialogue is essential for resolving outstanding issues between the Taliban and Washington, adding, “Both countries should move beyond the consequences of the 20-year war and build positive political and economic relations.”
According to the Taliban, Boehler described progress on prisoner exchanges as an important step toward confidence-building and emphasized the need for continued talks.
“The U.S. and Afghanistan have had a historical relationship marked by challenges,” Boehler was quoted as saying. “Now, it is important to look to the future.”
The visit marks Khalilzad’s first known trip to Afghanistan since the fall of the former government in August 2021. He played a central role in negotiating the 2020 Doha Agreement, which paved the way for the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban’s return to power.
According to the U.S. State Department, at least two American citizens—George Glinsman and Mahmood Shah Habibi—remain detained by the Taliban.
George Glinsman, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was arrested by Taliban intelligence in December 2022 while traveling in Afghanistan.
Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman and former official in Afghanistan’s civil aviation authority, disappeared in 2022 while working as a contractor for a telecom company in Kabul. While the Taliban deny holding him, evidence suggests otherwise.
Nearly two months ago, a prisoner exchange resulted in the release of two American detainees, Ryan Corbett and William McGinty, in exchange for Khan Mohammed, an Afghan national imprisoned in the U.S. since 2008.
Both Khalilzad and U.S. officials have yet to comment publicly on the meeting in Kabul.
