The Taliban release an 84-year-old Austrian man who was detained in Afghanistan last year

By STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN
Associated Press

VIENNA (AP) — The Austrian government says ans 84-year-old Austrian man who traveled to Afghanistan last year and was arrested there has been released by the country’s Taliban rulers. The Austrian Foreign Ministry in a statement Sunday identified the man as Herbert Fritz and said he arrived in Doha, Qatar from Afghanistan on Sunday afternoon. Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer thanked the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his team for their “strong support in releasing one of our citizens from prison in Afghanistan.” Qatar’s Foreign Affairs ministry released a statement expressing gratitude to the “caretaker government in Afghanistan” for releasing the Austrian.