U.S. Designates Afghanistan for Unjust Detention
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared Afghanistan a “state sponsor of unjust detention,” accusing the Taliban of wrongfully detaining American citizens and other foreigners.
In a statement released on Monday, Rubio expressed concern over the Taliban’s continued use of “terrorist tactics,” calling for these actions to cease. He emphasized, “The Taliban continues to use terrorist tactics, including kidnapping individuals for ransom or policy concessions. These despicable tactics must end.”
Rubio urged the release of two Americans being held unjustly in Afghanistan: Dennis Coyle and Mahmoud Habibi. “It is not safe for Americans to travel to Afghanistan, given these detentions,” he noted, stressing that the Taliban must commit to stopping hostage diplomacy.
Coyle, 64, has been held without charge by the Taliban’s Intelligence Directorate for over a year, according to his family, who claim he was legally researching Afghanistan’s language community. Similarly, Habibi, a 38-year-old American citizen born in Afghanistan, was taken in Kabul in August 2022, alongside a driver.
The FBI reported Habibi’s background as Afghanistan’s former civil aviation director and noted that he worked for the Asia Consultancy Group, which the Taliban recently targeted. Although most employees from the group were released, 29 were captured.
There has been no word from Habibi since his arrest, with the Taliban not providing details about his condition or location. Previously, they denied having him in custody.
Additionally, the U.S. government is seeking the return of the remains of author Paul Overby, who disappeared near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in 2014, as reported by sources familiar with the situation.
If the Taliban do not respond to U.S. demands, officials mentioned that the State Department may consider limiting U.S. passport use for Afghanistan travel, a measure currently enforced only for North Korea.
In response to Rubio’s actions, the Taliban expressed regret over the designation and indicated a preference for resolving such matters through dialogue.
It’s worth noting that the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 during the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops, marking the end of a 20-year military presence in the region.
Recently, Rubio also branded Iran a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” highlighting the unjust detention of American citizens and hinting at possible travel restrictions to Iran in the future.
