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State Department says American George Glessman freed from Afghanistan; U.S. pushes to help other detainees
Summary
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce announced that George Glessman, wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for 2½ years, arrived at Joint Base Andrews and flew onward to recover. The department credited Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for assistance and said it remains concerned about other Americans still detained.
Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, said George Glessman "is free" after being “wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for 2 and a half years.” She said Glessman arrived at Joint Base Andrews and was greeted by his wife and a small welcoming party before flying to another location in the United States to rest and recover.
"We are grateful for the government of Qatar's support in bringing George home, and The United Arab Emirates also played a role in facilitating the initial discussions," Bruce said, calling the safety and security of Americans abroad a "highest priority" for the department. She said Ryan Corbett, who had been held in the same cell in Afghanistan, was there with his wife, Anna.
Bruce said the department remains "deeply concerned about the well-being of Mahmoud Habibi and other Americans still detained in Afghanistan." She later told reporters she was not at a separate meeting reported to have included envoys and private actors who engaged the Taliban; she said the "main end result" of those diplomatic efforts is that an American returned home.
When asked about reports that non‑governmental figures joined recent talks related to hostages, Bruce said, "There is no one with an official government role" among the private individuals referenced in questions about that meeting. She declined to provide details about personnel or the substance of confidential diplomatic conversations.
No formal policy change or exchange involving other detainees was announced at the briefing. Bruce emphasized that the department "is watching" developments in Afghanistan and that returning detained Americans and protecting U.S. citizens overseas are central aims of ongoing diplomatic efforts.
The department did not specify whether further releases are imminent or what next steps might be for other named detainees; details about any continuing diplomatic talks were not released at the briefing.
