George Glezmann freed from Taliban custody after more than two years

George Glezmann, a 65-year-old American from Atlanta, Georgia, has been released from Taliban detention in Afghanistan after more than two years in captivity, Fox News reported Thursday. The breakthrough came through a deal negotiated by the Trump administration with Qatari mediators, marking a significant diplomatic win early in the administration’s term. Glezmann left Afghanistan on a Qatari aircraft today (Thursday), bound for Qatar, a source briefed on the release told Reuters.

Glezmann, a veteran airline mechanic with over 40 years at companies like Delta Air Lines, was seized by the Taliban’s intelligence services on December 5, 2022, while visiting Kabul as a tourist. An anthropology graduate with a passion for exploring cultures, he had traveled to over 100 countries before his trip to Afghanistan—a journey that turned into a 839-day ordeal. The U.S. State Department designated him a “wrongful detainee” in October 2023, highlighting the lack of formal charges or justification for his captivity.

The release follows intense efforts spanning two U.S. administrations. Under President Biden, negotiations had proposed swapping Glezmann and two other Americans—Ryan Corbett and Mahmood Habibi—for Muhammad Rahim al-Afghani, the last Afghan detainee at Guantanamo Bay. That deal partially succeeded in January 2025, freeing Corbett and William McKenty, but Glezmann remained behind until now. The Trump administration, leveraging Qatari mediation, finalized his freedom, though specifics of the agreement remain undisclosed as of late Thursday.

Glezmann’s health had reportedly worsened during captivity, with his wife, Aleksandra, expressing alarm over his physical and mental state in limited phone calls. “I just tried to keep his hope alive, but it was hard—he didn’t have the strength left,” she told WSB-TV in January. His release ends a harrowing chapter for the couple, who had leaned on bipartisan support from Georgia’s congressional delegation, including Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, to press for action.

A source familiar with the talks confirmed U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler met Taliban officials in Kabul to secure the deal. Posts on X hailed the news, with the State Department thanking Qatar for its “vital role” in facilitating the release, alongside Corbett and McKenty’s earlier return on Trump’s inauguration night. Glezmann’s case had drawn public outcry, with advocates noting his detention as part of a broader Taliban strategy targeting foreigners since their 2021 takeover.

Details of Glezmann’s next steps—whether he’ll head straight to Atlanta or stop elsewhere—weren’t immediately clear. For now, his freedom stands as a testament to persistent diplomacy and a rare moment of unity in a fractured U.S. political landscape, with both sides celebrating the return of an American held unjustly abroad.