Two Western hostages held by the Taliban for more than three years have been released in exchange for three high-level Taliban leaders, a U.S. government source confirmed today. American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, professors at the American University of Kabul, were freed in exchange for three Taliban members.

The Western hostages were released Nov. 19 in the Taliban-controlled Zabul Province, a U.S. government source with knowledge of the exchange told the Washington Examiner.