The US authorities have paid millions of dollars to the radical Taliban movement for the release of American citizen George Glezmann detained in Afghanistan. This was reported by the Aamaj News agency with reference to sources in the Afghan intelligence services.

According to their information, the US paid millions of dollars to the Taliban for the release of 66-year-old Glezmann, while “more than a dozen other American citizens remain in captivity” and their condition is unknown. According to one of the interlocutors, the main initiator of the deal was former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad.

The Taliban, in fact, without making serious concessions or giving any commitments, benefited materially and image-wise, and strengthened their position in interaction with Washington, the agency source added.

Glezmann, a mechanic for US-based Delta Air Lines, was detained by the Taliban in December 2022 while traveling in Afghanistan. Ten months later, the State Department deemed him “unlawfully detained,” giving the administration broad authority to recover him. On March 20, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Glezmann had been released and was returning to his home country.