Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Freed in Prisoner Swap With the Taliban

My god what a story!

At the New York Times, "U.S. Soldier Freed by Taliban in Trade: 5 Prisoners Swapped for P.O.W. Held in Afghanistan" (at Memeorandum):

WASHINGTON — The lone American prisoner of war from the Afghan conflict, captured by insurgents nearly five years ago, has been released to American forces in exchange for five Taliban prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, Obama administration officials said Saturday.

The soldier, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, 28, was handed over to American Special Operations troops inside Afghanistan near the Pakistan border about 10:30 a.m. Saturday in a tense but uneventful exchange with 18 Taliban officials, American officials said. Moments later, Sergeant Bergdahl was whisked away by the helicopter-borne commandos, American officials said. He was found in good condition and able to walk.

The five Taliban detainees at Guantánamo, including two senior militant commanders said to be implicated in murdering thousands of Shiites in Afghanistan, were being transferred to the custody of officials from Qatar, who will accompany them back to that Persian Gulf state, where they will be subject to security restrictions, including a one-year travel ban.

More.

Plus at IJR, "Breaking: America Negotiates With Terrorists to Have Last American Prisoner Released by Taliban."

FLASHBACK: "FULL VIDEO: Captured by the Taliban, US Soldier Bowe R. Bergdahl Speaks."