HomeOffice of the SpokespersonPress Releases...Welcoming the Release of Mark Frerichs hide Welcoming the Release of Mark Frerichs Press Statement Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State September 19, 2022 After more than two years in captivity, U.S. Navy veteran Mark Frerichs is safe and on his way home from Afghanistan. I am grateful to our State Department team and to our broader national security professionals as well as to our partners in Qatar. Mark’s return to his loved ones is the result of intense engagement with the Taliban. I have no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans around the world. We will remain tireless in our efforts to seek the release of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained. Our commitment to bring Mark home never wavered, and it will never waver for the Americans who are held captive anywhere around the world. His release is a testament to that priority and our around-the-clock work to reunite our citizens with their loved ones. Tags Afghanistan Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Hostage Recovery Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs