DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Months after an American was captured by Taliban-linked militants in Afghanistan, a Trump administration official has announced for the first time that Mark R. Frerichs, a Navy veteran turned contractor, is a part of peace negotiations with the Taliban.

An investigation by The Associated Press last week revealed how Navy SEALs and the U.S. intelligence community tried to gather information that would lead them to Frerichs’ recovery, but the trail went cold.

U.S. officials believe he was held for a time in Khost, a mountainous area that has historically been a haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda militants.