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When the United States withdraws the last of its military forces from Afghanistan next week, at least one American should be left behind: Mark Frerichs, a contractor kidnapped last year by Afghan militants.
The Taliban have held a number of Westerners hostage over the past two decades, but Mr. Frerichs is believed to be the last American held by the group that now controls Afghanistan.
As the U.S. military withdrawal enters its final stages, Mr. Frerichs’ family is pushing President Biden to strike a deal to release the Illinois-born civil engineer.
“Mr. President, you said ‘Any American who wants to come home, we’ll take you home,’” Charlene Cakora, Mr. Frerichs’ sister, said in a statement. “This should include my brother, Mark. My family needs your help to get Mark home safely and you have the power to make it happen. Please help us. “
Mr Frerichs had lived in Kabul for a decade, working on various development projects, when he was kidnapped in January 2020 in the capital, according to US officials. His captors quickly handed him over to the Haqqani Network, one of the most brutal groups working under the aegis of the Taliban.
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