WASHINGTON – United States issued a warning of massive bounties on Taliban leaders amid a growing hostage crisis.
Washington escalated its response to reports of US nationals who are hostages held by the Taliban in Kabul , threatening to place significant bounties on the heads of top Taliban leaders. The development comes as any nation has not recognized Taliban government while prosecutor announced efforts to seek arrest warrants for senior Taliban officials for their role in the persecution of women.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that if it is confirmed that the Taliban is holding more US citizens than previously reported, Washington will impose a massive bounty on the Taliban’s top leaders.
Taliban released American detainees Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, while the US freed Khan Mohammed, a man convicted in California for drug trafficking and alleged attempts to harm US troops in Afghanistan.
The prisoner exchange saw the Taliban release Corbett, who had been detained since 2022, and McKenty, about whom little is publicly known. In return, the US freed Mohammed, who had served a life sentence in the US for heroin trafficking and alleged plots to attack American soldiers.
Under former President Donald Trump, the US government initiated direct talks with the Taliban, even proposing a summit with their leaders at Camp David. Trump’s negotiations led to the eventual withdrawal of US forces, which was carried out under Biden’s leadership, leading to the Taliban’s swift return to power in August 2021.
The chaotic scenes at Kabul’s airport during the US withdrawal, and the loss of 13 US troops in a suicide bombing, sparked widespread criticism of the Biden administration’s handling of the situation. Biden administration has kept minimal contact with the Taliban government, although it has provided humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, which was not routed through the Taliban.
