The United States has officially designated Taliban-ruled Afghanistan as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,” accusing the Taliban government of unjustly detaining American citizens and using them as leverage for political concessions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision and demanded the immediate release of Americans believed to be held by the Taliban, including Mahmood Habibi and Dennis Coyle. Washington says the Taliban has been detaining foreigners without due legal process, a practice the US describes as “hostage diplomacy.”
Rubio said the Taliban continues to use “terrorist tactics such as kidnapping individuals for ransom or policy concessions,” warning that Afghanistan is unsafe for Americans and that further measures could follow if the detainees are not released.
US officials also warned that the designation could lead to new restrictions on US passport holders travelling to Afghanistan, similar to travel bans applied to certain high-risk countries.
The move is part of a broader US strategy to increase international pressure on governments accused of wrongfully detaining American citizens, with Afghanistan becoming one of the latest countries to receive the label.
The Taliban government rejected the accusations, calling the US decision “regrettable” and insisting that foreign nationals in Afghanistan are detained only for legal violations, not for political leverage. Taliban officials said the issue should be resolved through dialogue with Washington.
The designation highlights continuing tensions between the US and the Taliban government since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and signals a tougher stance by Washington over the detention of its citizens.