Joe Biden urged to help secure release of abducted US citizen in Afghanistan

Ahead of the one-year anniversary, supporters of Mark Frerichs are demanding the US government help in the release of the American citizen, who went missing in Afghanistan. Frerichs, a civil engineer, is believed to have been abducted by members of the Haqqani network on January 31, 2020. Frerichs' family members and supporters have called on the Biden administration to reverse the previous administration's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. 

Read: Iran, Taliban Officials Say US Pushing War In Afghanistan

'Frerichs is alive' 

Frerichs' sister Charlene Cakora, while speaking to the Associated Press, said they believe her brother is still alive and in captivity of terrorists closely associated with the Taliban, with whom the US government signed a peace deal last year. Cakora has urged President Joe Biden to not withdraw troops from Afghanistan until her brother is rescued. As per the peace deal, the US government plans to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan by May 2021. 

Read: Afghan Welcomes Joe Biden's Plan To Review US-Taliban Deal

However, Joe Biden has vowed to review the peace deal because of the continuing terrorism activities in Afghanistan by members of the Taliban, who had promised to reduce violence in the country while signing the peace deal with Americans in Doha last February. The Trump administration has already withdrawn thousands of troops from Afghanistan, bringing the total number of soldiers present in the war-torn country down to 2,500. 

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Frerichs was abducted last year while working on a civil engineering project in Afghanistan. The US Navy veteran was allegedly taken away by members of the Haqqani network, a group close to the Taliban. Taliban, however, has said they have found zero evidence of Frerichs being in captivity of one of their subordinate groups. After his abduction, the US forces had raided a village in Khost province, from where Frerichs' cellphone was giving signals, but in vain. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last year announced a reward of $1 million for any information about Frerichs. 

Read: Afghan Peace Talks Continue Amid Doubts Over Taliban's Change Of Ideologies

(Image Credit: AP)