White House reportedly negotiating with Taliban to swap Americans for alleged bin Laden ally held in Guantanamo Bay
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Three American men have been held by the Taliban since 2022. In exchange, the U.S. would hand over Muhammad Rahim al Afghani, who the U.S. designated a close associate of bin Laden with ties to al-Qaeda. Rahim has denied this and maintained he only worked as a linguist in Afghanistan.
![[(From left to right) Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann and Mahmoud Habibi - the three Americans who could come home in the swap]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/16/09/Untitled-design-%282%29.jpg)
Talks about the exchange have been ongoing since at least July but National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on December 17 that Biden was still contemplating the deal, sources familiar with the classified hearing told the WSJ.
![[The U.S. is considering giving up Muhammad Rahim al Afghani in the deal. Rahim’s mother holds up photos of her son in November 2023, calling for his release]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/07/14/GettyImages-1809854426.jpg)
Rahim is considered a high-profile prisoner and releasing him could lead to signficant criticism. But the families of Glezmann, Corbett and Habibi are desperate for the men to come home. They have been advocating for them for the last two years. Glezmann, 65, is a Delta Air Lines mechanic who was captured in December 2022 while visiting Afghanistan.
Corbett, 40, is a consultant who was traveling with a German colleague when he was taken by the Taliban in August 2022. Habibi, 37, disappeared in August 2022 after the U.S. killed an al-Qaeda leader in a strike in Kabul. The U.S. military believes Habibi was taken by the Afghan military and then handed over to the Taliban.
However, the Taliban denies having Habibi. In exchange for Glezmann and Corbett, the Taliban has asked for Rahim – something they have long sought. Rahim was captured in 2007 with the belief that he had pivotal information related to 9/11, al-Qaeda and bin Laden. U.S. intelligence indicated Rahim allegedly worked for senior members of al-Qaeda as a translator, courier, facilitator and operative. They alleged he helped bin Laden escape from U.S. apprehension.
