Trump Administration designates Afghanistan regime as state sponsor of wrongful detentions

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Monday that lthe Administration of President Donald Trump officially labeled Afghanistan a "state sponsor of wrongful detentions," while pressuring the ruling Taliban to release two U.S. citizens whom he said are being held without justification. "Today, I am designating Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. The Taliban continues to use terrorist tactics, kidnapping individuals for ransom or to seek policy concessions. These despicable tactics need to end. It is not safe for Americans to travel to Afghanistan because the Taliban continues to unjustly detain our fellow Americans and other foreign nationals," Rubio said in a statement, in whichhe also demanded the release of Dennis Coyle, Mahmood Habibi and "all Americans unjustly detained in Afghanistan."

The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. forces after nearly two decades of war. The conflict spanned several administrations, including those of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. According to several academic studies, the war in Afghanistan - the longest in U.S. history - cost approximately $2.3 trillion and an estimated 2,324 U.S. service members, 3,917 U.S. contractors, 1,144 allied troops and 46,319 civilians died during the conflict.

The Coyle and Habibi cases.

Coyle, 64, was arrested in January last year by the Taliban's General Intelligence Directorate without formal charges, according to a website run by his family. At the time of his arrest, he was allegedly conducting academic research aimed at supporting Afghan language communities and working legally in the country. His family members say he has not yet been charged with any crime. The State Department formally determined in June that Coyle's detention qualifies as improper.

For his part, Habibi disappeared in August 2022 after being captured by Taliban intelligence agents in Kabul along with his driver, according to U.S. officials. Habibi, 38, previously served as Afghanistan's director of civil aviation and later worked for the Kabul-based telecommunications company Asia Consultancy Group. The FBI noted that Taliban authorities detained 29 company employees at the time, but eventually released all but Habibi and one other person.

As indicated by both the FBI and the State Department, Habibi has not been heard from again since his detention, while the Taliban has provided no information on his whereabouts or condition.