A spokesman for the Taliban government in Afghanistan announced on Wednesday that the movement's authorities are holding two Americans, and have discussed with the United States the process of exchanging them with Afghans detained in Guantanamo.

Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said during a press conference, “We are supposed to be able to liberate our citizens in an exchange process, because American citizens are important to them, just as the Afghans are important to us.”

Talks about the exchange of prisoners took place with American officials during a meeting organized by the United Nations in Qatar.

The international conference in Qatar concluded the day before yesterday, Monday, which included representatives of the United Nations, the Taliban authorities, and special envoys to Afghanistan.

The spokesman explained, “Two American citizens are detained in Afghanistan,” adding that the United States is detaining Afghans, especially in the Guantanamo prison on the island of Cuba.

He added, “We discussed with them the United States about their release. Afghanistan’s conditions must be accepted.”