The US warned of placing a ‘very big bounty’ on the top leaders of the Taliban following the speculations of the Taliban holding more American hostages than reported.
US Secretary Marco Rubio stated on 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.”
However, no further details have been disclosed by the US Secretary or any other officials about the American hostages in the Taliban.
The accusations on Taliban come following the release of an Afghan named Khan Mohammad convicted by an American court on charges of drug smuggling and extremism in exchange for two U.S. citizens held in Afghanistan. Khan landed in Kabul on Tuesday after the release.
The Americans released in the first days of Trump’s administration last week. The former detainees were identified as Ryan Corbett, who had been in Taliban detention since 2022, and William McKenty.
Furthermore, the International Criminal Court Thursday filed arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders in Afghanistan including the senior leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, accusing them of the persecution of women and girls.
One of the Americans released was Ryan Corbett, according to a statement by his family. Corbett had been in Taliban detention since 2022, according to the family. U.S. media outlets said the other American released was named William McKenty.
