US may offer ‘very large bounty’ on Taliban leaders, says Secretary of State Rubio

“Just hearing the Taliban is holding more American hostages than has been reported,” Rubio wrote. “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.”

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.

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@secrubio) January 25, 2025

Rubio did not provide additional details or specify the number of Americans allegedly being held by the Taliban.

The comments come shortly after the US secured the release of two American citizens held by the Taliban in exchange for an Afghan national, Khan Mohammad, who had been convicted in the US of drug smuggling and extremist charges.

Mohammad was flown to Kabul earlier this week, according to Afghan officials, while the released Americans were identified as Ryan Corbett, detained since 2022, and William McKenty, as reported by US media.

The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021 after a chaotic withdrawal of US forces, ending 20 years of military presence in the country.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, the International Criminal Court announced that it had sought arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders, including Haibatullah Akhundzada, the group’s spiritual head, accusing them of crimes against women and girls.