Families of Americans held by Taliban plead with Biden to ‘do the right thing’

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Families of American hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan have asked Joe Biden “to do the right thing” and bring the men home before he leaves office, after months of lobbying the outgoing president to broker a deal with the hardline Islamist regime. Mr Biden held a call with family members of all three American nationals on Sunday as his administration said it was working on a deal that could bring them home in exchange for Afghan national Muhammad Rahim, a Guantanamo Bay detainee and a close aide of the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Mr Biden “emphasised his administration’s commitment to the cause of bringing home Americans held hostage and wrongfully detained overseas”, the White House said. He told the families that his administration would not trade Mr Rahim, labelled a “high-value detainee” by the Department of Defence, unless the Taliban releases Mr Habibi, family members told The Independent.