American Pows In Afghanistan: A Human Toll

Since the US war in Afghanistan began in 2001, at least seven US civilians have been taken captive or gone missing. Of these, one was killed, one escaped, three were rescued or released, and two are still unaccounted for. One of those still missing is Mark Frerichs, a US Navy veteran who was kidnapped by the Taliban in 2020. The other is author Paul Overby Jr., who was last heard from in May 2014.

In addition to these civilians, one US soldier, Bowe Bergdahl, was held captive by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network from 2009 to 2014. Bergdahl was captured after deserting his post and was released in a prisoner exchange for five high-ranking Taliban members.

Bowe Bergdahl, a US soldier, was held captive by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network from 2009 to 2014

Bergdahl's disappearance and capture have been the subject of intense media scrutiny. Accounts of his capture differ. In a video, Bergdahl claimed he was captured after falling behind on a patrol. Taliban sources allege he was ambushed after getting drunk off base, but US military sources deny this claim. Other sources state that Bergdahl walked off base after his shift or was grabbed from a latrine.

Bergdahl was held captive for five years, during which he was tortured, beaten, and held in a cage. He attempted to escape multiple times but was recaptured. He was released on May 31, 2014, as part of a prisoner exchange for five high-ranking Taliban members held at Guantanamo Bay.

Bergdahl faced a court-martial on charges of desertion and misbehaviour before the enemy. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to be dishonourably discharged, reduced in rank, and fined. However, his conviction was later voided by a US federal judge.

At least seven US civilians have been taken captive or gone missing during the war in Afghanistan

At least seven US civilians have been taken captive or have gone missing during the war in Afghanistan. Of these, one was killed, one escaped, and three were rescued or released. An eighth captive, Bowe Bergdahl, was a US soldier who was captured after deserting his post in 2009 and was released in 2014.

One of the captives, Mark Frerichs, was kidnapped by the Taliban in 2020. Frerichs, a 59-year-old civil engineer, had been living and working in Kabul for 10 years when he was abducted. He was lured to a meeting to discuss a potential project and taken against his will to Khost Province, where he was handed over to the Haqqani Network, one of the region's most powerful and feared militant groups.

The only thing the Taliban has mentioned when pressed for Frerichs' return is the release of Bashir Noorzai, a Taliban-affiliated drug lord who has been imprisoned in the US for the last 16 years. Noorzai was arrested in 2005 and sentenced to life in prison in 2009 on charges of importing over $50 million worth of heroin from Afghanistan and Pakistan into the US and other countries.

The US government has stated that it places a high priority on Frerichs' safety and will continue working to secure his release. However, as of 2021, Frerichs remains in captivity, and his family is increasingly desperate for his return.

Besides Frerichs, only one other American suspected to have been abducted in Afghanistan, author Paul Overby Jr., remains unaccounted for. Overby was last heard from in May 2014, when he vanished in Khost while traveling to interview Sirajuddin Haqqani. The Taliban have denied any involvement in his disappearance.

The Taliban demanded the release of six Taliban prisoners in exchange for Bowe Bergdahl

The Taliban originally demanded the release of six Taliban prisoners in exchange for Bowe Bergdahl, a US soldier who was held captive from 2009 to 2014. Bergdahl was captured after deserting his post on June 30, 2009, and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and capture have been the subject of intense media scrutiny.

The Taliban's original demand for six prisoners was reduced to five after Taliban commander Awal Gul died of a heart attack at Guantanamo Bay in 2011. The five prisoners were Mohammad Fazl, Khairullah Khairkhwa, Abdul Haq Wasiq, Norullah Noori, and Mohammad Nabi Omari. They were described as "the hardest of the hard-core" by Senator John McCain and James Franklin Jeffrey. All five were deemed high risk to the United States and were recommended for "continued detention".

The prisoner exchange took place on May 31, 2014, and was brokered by the American, Qatari, and Afghan governments. Bergdahl was handed over to a US special operations team near the Afghan-Pakistan border and was then transferred to several military bases for medical treatment and recovery.

The prisoner swap was controversial and drew criticism, especially from conservatives and Republican lawmakers. They argued that the Obama administration had violated the National Defense Authorization Act by not giving Congress 30 days' notice before engaging in talks to get Bergdahl back. Some also believed that the release of the Taliban prisoners, who were considered dangerous, would put US military lives at risk.

Despite the criticism, the Obama administration defended the exchange, citing their "unwavering commitment and patriotic duty to leave no man or woman in uniform behind on the battlefield." They also argued that they had constitutional authority to bypass Congress and that the release of Guantanamo prisoners to secure the freedom of a captive American soldier was an "extraordinary situation."

Bergdahl was exchanged for five Guantanamo Bay detainees

Bowe Bergdahl, a former US Army soldier, was held captive by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network in Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2009 to 2014. He was captured after deserting his post on June 30, 2009, and his disappearance and capture have since been the subjects of intense media scrutiny.

The five Taliban detainees, also known as the "Taliban Five", were:

• Mohammad Fazl: Taliban Army chief of staff, wanted for possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shiite Muslims.
• Khairullah Khairkhwa: Taliban interior minister, helped found the Taliban in 1994, had direct ties to Osama bin Laden.
• Abdul Haq Wasiq: Deputy chief of the Taliban regime's intelligence service, had direct access to Taliban leaders.
• Norullah Noori: Senior Taliban military commander, wanted by the United Nations for possible war crimes, including the murder of thousands of Shiite Muslims.
• Mohammad Nabi Omari: Taliban's chief of communications, maintained weapons caches and facilitated the smuggling of fighters and weapons.

The exchange of Bergdahl for the five Guantanamo Bay detainees was negotiated by the governments of the United States, Qatar, and Afghanistan. The release was brokered by the American, Qatari, and Afghan governments and was described as a "peaceful handover".

The exchange of Bergdahl for the five Guantanamo Bay detainees was controversial and sparked debate in the United States. Some members of Congress and political commentators criticized the Obama administration for making a deal with terrorists and for not giving Congress the required 30-day notice before engaging in talks to secure Bergdahl's release. There were also concerns about the potential security risks posed by the release of the five detainees.

Bergdahl was tried by a general court-martial on charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy. On November 3, 2017, he was sentenced to be dishonorably discharged, reduced in rank, and fined, with no prison time.

Bergdahl was dishonorably discharged, reduced in rank, and fined $1,000 per month for ten months

Bowe Bergdahl was a former US Army soldier who was held captive by the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network in Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2009 to 2014. Bergdahl was captured after deserting his post on June 30, 2009, and was released on May 31, 2014, as part of a prisoner exchange for five high-ranking Taliban members.

On November 3, 2017, Bergdahl was sentenced to be dishonorably discharged, reduced in rank to private, and fined $1,000 per month from his pay for ten months, with no prison time. The reduction in rank and fine took effect immediately, while the discharge was stayed pending appeals to the Army Court of Criminal Appeals and later to the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, which affirmed the sentence on August 27, 2020.

Bergdahl's sentence was highly controversial. Some argued that his actions endangered the lives of his comrades and that his sentence was too lenient. Six US military servicemen were killed while searching for him, and one soldier, retired Army Master Sgt. Mark Allen, was left unable to walk or speak after being shot by a sniper during these operations. He ultimately passed away in 2019 as a result of his injuries.

On the other hand, Bergdahl's defense attorneys had asked for leniency, citing the five years he spent in Taliban captivity, criticism from then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, and his mental state. Bergdahl had been diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and his lawyers argued that his decision to desert his post was consistent with his personality disorder.

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