WASHINGTON (Washington Insider Magazine) – According to a video uploaded Friday by The New Yorker magazine, an American man abducted in Afghanistan 2 years ago is shown in a video appealing for his freedom so that he can be reunited with his family.
Mark Frerichs’ footage is the first public sighting of the private contractor and Navy veteran since his kidnapping in Kabul on January 31, 2020. Frerichs, of Lombard, Illinois, is thought to be held captive by the Taliban-linked Haqqani network, and US authorities have failed to bring him home under two presidencies.
In the footage, Frerichs appears alone, sitting straight in front of a black curtain and dressed in what looks to be native Afghan clothing. He says he has patiently awaited his freedom in the footage, which he claims was filmed on Nov. 28, and adds, “I’d like to ask the leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: please release me.” Release me so that I may be reunited with my family. “Thank you.”
Videos of hostages are occasionally distributed to demonstrate that they are alive and to boost talks for their release, however it was unclear whether this was the case here.
The New Yorker published the footage on Friday, claiming it came from an anonymous source in Afghanistan.
An FBI official in Washington refused to comment on the video’s validity, but Frerichs’ sister, Charlene Cakora, expressed gratitude to the Taliban for releasing it, calling it “public confirmation of our family’s long-held belief that he is alive after more than 2 years in captivity.”
She urged President Joe Biden and State secretary Antony Blinken to redouble their efforts to free Frerichs.
According to ABC NEWS, the Taliban has openly stated to US authorities that it wants an imprisoned drug lord called Bashir Noorzai released, but the US administration has not gone ahead on any form of prisoner transfer or exchange that may bring Frerichs home.
The footage of Frerichs was released on the very day the Department Of State confirmed the release of legal permanent resident Anees Khalil and US national Safiullah Rauf from Afghanistan. The Department Of State noted that they were presently in Qatar before returning to the United States, but provided no further information regarding their activities in Afghanistan.
