Sat Mar 22 21:03:40 UTC 2025: ## US Lifts $10 Million Bounty on Taliban Leader Sirajuddin Haqqani After American Citizen’s Release

**Kabul, Afghanistan –** The United States has rescinded a $10 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Sirajuddin Haqqani, a prominent Taliban leader, an Afghan Ministry of Interior Affairs spokesperson announced Saturday. The move follows the release of US citizen George Glezmann, who had been held captive in Afghanistan for two years. Glezmann’s release, the third of a US detainee by the Taliban since January, was hailed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a “positive and constructive step,” with thanks given to Qatar for its role in securing his freedom.

Despite the announcement, the FBI’s website still lists the reward, describing Haqqani as having allegedly coordinated attacks against US and coalition forces. Haqqani, head of the Haqqani Network, a US-designated terrorist group known for its brutality and involvement in high-profile attacks, including the assassination of Afghan officials and the kidnapping of Western citizens, has remained a key figure on the US radar even after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

The timing of the bounty’s removal is significant, coming just days after Glezmann’s release. The Taliban has framed the release of US detainees as part of its efforts towards global normalization, despite remaining an international pariah with no official recognition of its government. The US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, following an agreement with the Taliban negotiated by the Trump administration, has left the country in a complex and precarious political situation. The connection between Haqqani’s continued presence and the ongoing diplomatic complexities surrounding the Taliban remains unclear, but the lifting of the bounty suggests a potential shift in US strategy.

Read More