Joe Biden has demanded that the Taliban release Mark Frerech immediately before making any concessions to his aspirations for legitimacy.
Tensions between the Taliban and the United States have risen sharply since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. There is a new addition to that now. President Joe Biden has raised concerns about a retired U.S. Navy officer. The Biden government has accused Mark Frerech, a retired US Navy officer, of being in Taliban custody for the past two years.
According to President Joe Biden, Mark Freich, a senior US naval officer, has been held hostage in Afghanistan for two years. Frerich is a civil engineer who has done nothing wrong but has spent nearly a decade in Afghanistan helping Afghans. However, he is currently being held by the Taliban.
It is unacceptable to threaten the safety of any American citizen, let alone an American citizen. "Holding someone hostage is an act of cruelty and cowardice," Biden said in a statement.
Biden also called for the immediate release of Mark Frerich by the Taliban before he can be held accountable for his actions.
Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating day by day after the withdrawal of US troops. The United States has been urged by the Taliban to resume economic aid to Afghanistan. The issue of the release of a former US naval officer has raised fears among the Taliban that the US could be cut off.
For the past 20 years, the Afghan civilian government has received significant financial support from a number of countries, including the United States. However, after the Taliban forcibly took power in Afghanistan, the United States has banned all funds deposited by the Afghan government in its banks. How can the Taliban save Afghanistan and its economy in such a situation? Such a question is presented.