By The Smartencyclopedia Staff & Agencies

In a surprising turn of events, the Taliban released Herbert Fritz, an 84-year-old Austrian far-right nationalist who had been under arrest in Afghanistan since May of last year. The Austrian government confirmed Fritz’s safe arrival in Doha on Sunday, expressing gratitude to the Qatari government for mediating and facilitating his release.

Herbert Fritz, a founding member of Austria’s National Democratic Party (NDP), an extreme right group banned in 1988, had been detained by the Taliban on suspicion of spying. The circumstances surrounding his arrest drew attention, as Fritz had previously reported positively on life in Afghanistan, fueling anti-immigration arguments suggesting that Afghanistan was a safe country for refugees.

Austria’s Der Standard newspaper revealed Fritz’s arrest last year and highlighted his positive reporting from Afghanistan, which had contributed to the controversial narrative about the country’s safety. The Taliban’s accusation of spying against Fritz added complexity to the situation.

The Austrian foreign ministry had been actively working to secure Fritz’s release since May, acknowledging the assistance of Qatar and the European Union representation in Kabul. The far-right Freedom Party in Austria, currently leading in opinion polls ahead of parliamentary elections, had advocated for Fritz’s release, asserting that he was in Afghanistan for book research.

Qatar’s foreign ministry expressed gratitude to the Taliban administration for their cooperation in releasing the Austrian national, although the individual was not explicitly named in their statement.

The Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance, an organization monitoring far-right activity, described Herbert Fritz as an active participant in extreme-right political circles. As of now, Fritz has not been reachable for comment regarding his ordeal and release.