An American woman free by the Taliban in Afghanistan celebrated her release in a video shared by US President Donald Trump on Saturday, thanking her for helping her to secure her freedom.
In a video shared on Trump’s Truth Social Account, the Fay Hall is smiling and apparently said in good health, saying: “Thank you for bringing me home.”
The hall, a British couple and their Afghan translator were detained on 1 February as they visited the Central Bamiyan province.
Former Washington messenger, Zalme Khalilajad, Kabul, said that the hall was in the care of the Katri delegation in Kabul.
“American citizen Fay Hall, which has been released by the Taliban, is now in the care of our friends, will soon be on his way to his home, and will soon be on the way to his house,” Khalilajad, who has been part of the American delegation working on the Taliban hostage release, has written on X.
According to a source with the knowledge of release, at the Katri Embassy, the hall “has been confirmed in good health after passing a series of medical checks.
The source said that he was released on Thursday after a court order and the source said with logistics support from Qatar.
In a video promoted by Trump’s account, the hall said he was proud to be an American citizen and urged him support for Afghan women held in Taliban jails.
“Thank you, Mr. President,” he said. “And I just want to know you, all women in Afghan jail, they always ask me, ‘When is Trump coming?” You, in fact, they consider you like your savior.
A message from the Fay Hall, an American who was detained by the Taliban and has now been freed:
“I am glad you are President, and thank you for bringing me home. I was never proud to be an American citizen. Thank you, Mr. President.” pic.twitter.com/7J0Eixzfo2
– The White House (@Whitehouse) March 29, 2025
In the post with the video, Trump said: “Thank you Fay – so honored your words!”
The hall, identified by the Taliban’s internal ministry as Chinese-American, was detained with Peter and Barbie Rrenolds, which is in their 70s, as they traveled to the British couple’s home in the Central Bamiyan province. His Afghan translator was also arrested.
Taliban officials have refused to expand the cause of his arrest, but a report stated that the hall was detained on charges of using drones without the authority.
Expectations for ‘new chapter’
Khalilazad was on a rare visit by US authorities to meet Taliban officials earlier this month earlier this month, with American hostage messenger Adam Boheller.
After its visit, the Taliban government announced the release of American citizen George Glizman after detention of more than two years, in the deal broke by Qatar.
He and the hall are among many Americans to be released from Taliban detention this year.
In January, two American-Ryan Corbett and William McCent–an Afghan fighter, detained in Afghanistan, were freed in exchange for Khan Mohammed, who was convicted of narco-violentism in the United States.
At least one other American citizen, Mahmud Habibi, is still held in Afghanistan.
The Taliban detained the British couple detained with the hall.
His daughter has expressed serious apprehension for her father’s health and appealed to the Taliban authorities to free her.
Reynolds, who married in Kabul in 1970, conducted school training programs in the country for 18 years.
After the Taliban acquisition in 2021, he lived in Afghanistan when the British Embassy withdrew its employees.
The government in Kabul is not recognized by any country, but many including Russia, China and Türkiye have kept their embassies open in the Afghan capital.
Qatar has also maintained diplomatic channels with the Taliban and facilitated negotiations for the release of American hostages.
Since Trump’s renovation, the Kabul government has expressed hope for a “new chapter” with Washington.
(Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is published by a syndicated feed.)
