U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced the possibility of placing a substantial bounty on the heads of Taliban leaders if reports of additional American citizens being held by the group are confirmed.
Rubio’s statement came in response to emerging reports about two more Americans allegedly detained by the Taliban. This is in addition to George Glezmann and Mahmoud Habibi, who were not released during a recent prisoner exchange.
During his tenure, President Joe Biden successfully negotiated the release of Ryan Corbett and William Wallace McKenty in a prisoner swap with the Taliban. However, the exchange did not include Glezmann and Habibi.
“If this is true, we will have to immediately place a VERY BIG bounty on their top leaders, maybe even bigger than the one we had on Bin Laden,” Rubio wrote on the social platform X.
Just hearing the Taliban is holding more American hostages than has been reported. If this is true, we will have to immediately place a VERY BIG bounty on their top leaders, maybe even bigger than the one we had on Bin Laden.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@secrubio) January 25, 2025
Accusations of Negligence by the Previous Administration
Dennis Fitzpatrick, an advocate working outside the U.S. government to secure Glezmann’s release, criticized the Biden administration, claiming Glezmann’s case “was never treated as a serious priority by the White House.”
Fitzpatrick emphasized that Glezmann, a 66-year-old former aircraft mechanic, is “completely innocent” and has been unjustly detained since December 5, 2022. A July 2024 Senate resolution highlighted that Glezmann’s imprisonment in a 9-square-foot underground cell has severely impacted his mental and physical health.
Taliban Denials and Habibi Family’s Claims
The Taliban have admitted to holding Glezmann but deny detaining Mahmoud Habibi. However, Habibi’s brother, Ahmad, insists the Taliban are lying. He claims to have multiple witnesses to Mahmoud’s arrest by Afghan intelligence and asserts that his brother was detained at the headquarters of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI).
Ahmad also accused the Biden administration of obstructing efforts to use evidence proving Mahmoud’s detention at GDI facilities.
Potential Scenarios
Hugh Dugan, a former deputy special envoy for hostage affairs, suggested that the U.S. government might explore a range of options, from military operations to quiet diplomacy. He emphasized that families of the hostages are seeking decisive action and hope for their loved ones’ swift release.
“Families want to see concrete steps taken, not just words,” Dugan said.