Ryan Corbett, an American citizen who spent nearly 900 days in Taliban custody, has reunited with his family following his release in a prisoner exchange.
Corbett, a resident of Livingston County, New York, arrived in Texas late Tuesday night and was welcomed by his family on the tarmac. Family members say his health deteriorated significantly during his detention due to poor living conditions, and he now faces a long recovery.
Corbett was detained by the Taliban in August 2022 while on a business trip in Afghanistan, where he had been living with his family during the collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government in 2021. His release was part of a prisoner swap brokered by Qatar.
In the exchange, Corbett and another American detainee, William McKenty, were freed in return for Khan Mohammed, a Taliban member. Details of the negotiations remain sparse, but the Corbett family has expressed immense gratitude for his safe return.
“Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude and praise for God, who preserved Ryan’s life and brought him back home after 894 of the most challenging and uncertain days of our lives,” the family said in a statement.
The U.S. government had been in talks with the Taliban regarding the release of several Americans held in Afghanistan, including Corbett. Former President Joe Biden initiated the efforts before leaving office, with outgoing negotiations handed over to the administration of returning President Donald Trump.
One of the detainees still unaccounted for is Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American citizen. While the Taliban have denied holding him, his family told Amu that he had been handed over to Al Qaeda. Efforts to locate and secure his release are ongoing.
