The Taliban government announced on Tuesday that the United States had released Afghan prisoner Khan Mohammad, who had been serving a life sentence in California, in exchange for American detainees held in Afghanistan, with Qatar acting as a mediator.

The Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Mohammad had returned to his home country after being detained in the U.S. for nearly two decades.

The Taliban praised the deal as an ideal resolution through dialogue, expressing gratitude for Qatar’s active role in the exchange and voicing hope for strengthened relations with the United States.