The New Yorker magazine published a video showing an American kidnapped in Afghanistan two years ago
By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press
Apr 1, 2022 at 4:59 p.m
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WASHINGTON — An American kidnapped in Afghanistan two years ago is seen in video pleading for his release so he can be reunited with his family, according to a recording released by The New Yorker magazine on Friday.
The video of Mark Frerichs is the first time the Navy veteran and civilian contractor has been seen by the public since his kidnapping in Kabul on Jan. 31, 2020. Frerichs, from Lombard, Illinois, is believed to be being held by the Taliban. affiliated Haqqani network, and US officials from two presidential administrations have tried unsuccessfully to bring him home.
Frerichs appears alone in the video, sitting upright in front of a dark curtain and wearing what appears to be traditional Afghan clothing. In the video, which he says was taken on November 28, he says he has been patiently waiting for his release, adding: “I would like to ask the leadership of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: please release me. Set me free to be reunited with my family. Thanks.”
Videos of hostages are sometimes released to prove they are alive and to facilitate negotiations for a release, although it was not immediately clear if that was the case here.
The video was published by The New Yorker on Friday, which says it was obtained from an unidentified person in Afghanistan.
An FBI spokeswoman in Washington declined to comment on the authenticity of the video, but a Frerichs sister, Charlene Cakora, said in a statement Friday that she was grateful to the Taliban for releasing the video, describing it as ” public confirmation of longstanding belief that he was alive after more than two years in captivity.”
She appealed to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to increase their efforts to get Frerichs released.
“We believe this is an important indication of the Taliban’s interest in arranging Mark’s immediate release. President Biden and Secretary Blinken, we urge you to take bold and decisive action to bring Mark home,” she added.
The Taliban have made it clear to US officials that they seek the release of a convicted drug lord named Bashir Noorzai, but the US government has not advanced any trade or exchange of prisoners that could bring Frerichs home.
Frerichs’ video surfaced the same day the State Department announced the release of US citizen Safiullah Rauf and Anees Khalil, a lawful permanent resident, from Afghanistan. The Foreign Ministry said they were now in Qatar before traveling home, but gave no further details on their activities in Afghanistan.
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