Taliban free Navy veteran and engineer Mark Frerichs in prisoner swap

The Taliban released Navy veteran Mark Frerichs in a prisoner exchange for an Afghan tribal leader with ties to the Taliban on Monday, ending Frerichs's captivity after two years.

The exchange occurred at Kabul airport, where Frerichs was swapped for Bashir Noorzai, the Afghan leader who had been imprisoned in the United States for allegedly smuggling more than $50 million worth of heroin into the U.S. and Europe.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is ready to solve problems by negotiation with all including the United States,” acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said at a news conference. “This can be a new chapter between Afghanistan and the United States. This can open a new door for talks between both countries."

Frerichs, a civil engineer and former Navy diver from Illinois, had been working overseas as a contractor for a decade when he was abducted on Jan. 31, 2020, in Kabul. Two presidential administrations have attempted to secure Frerichs's release, including former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. A senior administration official confirmed the exchange to the Washington Examiner and said the president spoke with Frerichs's family to inform them of his return.