The US government says an American citizen who had been detained in Afghanistan for more than two years was released by the Taliban interim government on Thursday.



Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the release of George Glezmann, a mechanic with Delta Air Lines, in a statement on Thursday.



US media reports said Glezmann was seized by the Taliban's intelligence services in December 2022 while traveling through Afghanistan.



The Qatari-mediated negotiation between US and Taliban officials in the Afghan capital of Kabul was reportedly the first direct contact of any significance between the two sides since President Donald Trump took office in January.



US media say the release was not part of a deal to free any Afghan detainees held by the United States in exchange.



Rubio described the release as, "a positive and constructive step."



The US has imposed severe sanctions on Afghanistan, criticizing the Taliban for alleged violations of women's human rights and other acts. China and Russia have been deepening economic and other ties with the Taliban.



Glezmann became the third US national to be released by the Taliban this year. Attention is now focused on whether the releases will contribute to the US building ties with the Islamic group.