Mark Frerichs

Mark Frerichs
Mark Frerichs
Born	July 13, 1962
Disappeared	January 31, 2020 (aged 57); Khost Province, Afghanistan
Nationality	USA
Occupation	Civil Engineer
Known for	Suspected of being captured by the Haqqani network

Mark Randall Frerichs (born July 13, 1962)[1] is an American Civil Engineer who disappeared in Afghanistan in January 2020.[2] Newsweek magazine reported that officials who insisted on anonymity had confirmed that Frerichs had been taken captive by the Haqqani network, a group closely aligned with the Taliban.[3][4]

Biography

Frerichs is a director of International Logistical Support whose work had led him to visit Afghanistan multiple times since 2012.[3] He is a veteran of the US Navy.[5]

The Associated Press reported that US intelligence officials tracked Frerichs's cell-phone, and raided a village near where he disappeared, approximately a week after his disappearance in Khost Province.[5] Although they rounded up individuals from that village, the raid proved unproductive.

Frerichs's sister, Charlene Cakora, has questioned why the US government "signed a peace deal" with the Taliban in early February that did not include provision for releasing her brother.[5] The Federal Bureau of Investigation, lead agency of the Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, issued a statement saying the cell was working to ensure “that Mark Frerichs and all Americans held hostage abroad are returned home.”

On May 10, 2020, the FBI offered a $1 million reward for information that helps lead to Frerichs's release or rescue.[2] In addition, the Rewards for Justice Program offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his location.[6]

On May 10, 2020, Taliban spokesmen asserted they have conducted an inquiry of their subordinate and associated groups, to confirm they are not holding Frerichs.[7]

The New York Times reported Frerichs was still a captive on November 21, 2020, when Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Afhganistan to personally participate in peace negotiations with the Taliban.[8] They reported it was unknown whether Pompeo raised Frerichs's captivity as an issue, during the negotiations.

References

"MARK RANDALL FRERICHS". Federal Bureau of Investigation.
James Gordon Meek; Conor Finnegan (2020-05-12). "FBI offers $1 million for information leading to former Taliban hostage's captors". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-05-13. At least two Americans remain missing in Afghanistan, including commercial contractor Mark Frerichs, who was kidnapped on Jan. 31 by the Haqqani Network, a faction of the Afghan Taliban, U.S. officials believe.
James Laporta; Tom O'Connor; Naveed Jamali (2020-02-05). "Exclusive: U.S. citizen kidnapped by Taliban group in Afghanistan". Newsweek magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-13. Mark R. Frerichs of Lombard, Illinois, was kidnapped last Friday in Khost, a province located in the southeastern part of the country that borders the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, an underdeveloped region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, U.S. officials told Newsweek, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details publicly.
Susan Sarkauskas; Robert Sanchez (2020-02-06). "Kidnapped contractor's Lombard dad: I have deep faith my son will be found". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on 2020-02-07. Retrieved 2020-05-13. While no group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, U.S. officials believe the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network orchestrated the operation.
James Laporta; Eric Tucker (2020-04-30). "Navy SEALs raided Afghan village in attempt to locate Illinois man taken hostage by militants". Chicago Tribune. Washington, DC. Retrieved 2020-05-13. In the days following the capture of an American contractor in Afghanistan earlier this year, Navy commandos raided a village and detained suspected members of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network while the U.S. intelligence community tried to track the cellphones of the man and his captors, The Associated Press has learned.
"Rewards for Justice - Acts of Terror - Kidnapping of Mark Randall Frerichs".
"Taliban: We do not have missing US contractor". Arab News. Islamabad. 2020-05-10. Retrieved 2020-05-13. Taliban leaders searched their ranks, including in the much-feared Haqqani network, and on Sunday said they are not holding Mark R. Frerichs, a Navy veteran turned contractor who disappeared in Afghanistan in late January.
Thomas Gibbons-Neff; Fatima Faizi (2020-11-21). "As Pompeo Prepared to Meet Afghan Warring Parties, New Attack Struck Kabul". The New York Times. Kabul, Afghanistan. p. A18. Retrieved 2020-11-21. The Taliban is still holding the American Mark Frerichs, a former Navy diver and civil engineer who was kidnapped in Kabul and taken to Khost Province earlier this year.

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[1] "MARK RANDALL FRERICHS". Federal Bureau of Investigation.

[abcnews2020-05-12-2] James Gordon Meek; Conor Finnegan (2020-05-12). "FBI offers $1 million for information leading to former Taliban hostage's captors". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-05-13. At least two Americans remain missing in Afghanistan, including commercial contractor Mark Frerichs, who was kidnapped on Jan. 31 by the Haqqani Network, a faction of the Afghan Taliban, U.S. officials believe.

[newsweek2020-02-05-3] James Laporta; Tom O'Connor; Naveed Jamali (2020-02-05). "Exclusive: U.S. citizen kidnapped by Taliban group in Afghanistan". Newsweek magazine. Retrieved 2020-05-13. Mark R. Frerichs of Lombard, Illinois, was kidnapped last Friday in Khost, a province located in the southeastern part of the country that borders the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, an underdeveloped region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, U.S. officials told Newsweek, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details publicly.

[dailyherald2020-02-06-4] Susan Sarkauskas; Robert Sanchez (2020-02-06). "Kidnapped contractor's Lombard dad: I have deep faith my son will be found". Daily Herald. Archived from the original on 2020-02-07. Retrieved 2020-05-13. While no group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, U.S. officials believe the Taliban-aligned Haqqani network orchestrated the operation.

[chicagotribune2020-04-30-5] James Laporta; Eric Tucker (2020-04-30). "Navy SEALs raided Afghan village in attempt to locate Illinois man taken hostage by militants". Chicago Tribune. Washington, DC. Retrieved 2020-05-13. In the days following the capture of an American contractor in Afghanistan earlier this year, Navy commandos raided a village and detained suspected members of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network while the U.S. intelligence community tried to track the cellphones of the man and his captors, The Associated Press has learned.

[6] "Rewards for Justice - Acts of Terror - Kidnapping of Mark Randall Frerichs".

[arabnews2020-05-10-7] "Taliban: We do not have missing US contractor". Arab News. Islamabad. 2020-05-10. Retrieved 2020-05-13. Taliban leaders searched their ranks, including in the much-feared Haqqani network, and on Sunday said they are not holding Mark R. Frerichs, a Navy veteran turned contractor who disappeared in Afghanistan in late January.

[nytimes2020-11-21-8] Thomas Gibbons-Neff; Fatima Faizi (2020-11-21). "As Pompeo Prepared to Meet Afghan Warring Parties, New Attack Struck Kabul". The New York Times. Kabul, Afghanistan. p. A18. Retrieved 2020-11-21. The Taliban is still holding the American Mark Frerichs, a former Navy diver and civil engineer who was kidnapped in Kabul and taken to Khost Province earlier this year.