In the very last hours of President Joe Biden’s time in office, a prisoner exchange years in the making was finally struck: the Taliban agreed to swap two Americans being held in Afghanistan for one Taliban member serving a life sentence in a US prison.

Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were freed in exchange for an Afghan Taliban member who had been serving a life sentence in California.

We celebrate the release of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty who will soon reunited with their families and loved ones,” National Security spokesperson Brian Hughes said in a statement.