The United States has formally designated Afghanistan as a state sponsor of wrongful detention, escalating pressure on the Taliban over the detention of American citizens. The announcement was made Monday by the Trump administration and coincided with Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, highlighting Washington’s focus on the growing issue of Americans being held overseas. Afghanistan becomes only the second country to receive the designation, after Iran, which was labeled shortly before U.S. military operations against Tehran began.
Rubio Accuses Taliban Of ‘Hostage Diplomacy’
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply criticised Taliban for detaining foreign nationals and using them as leverage. In a statement, Rubio accused the group of employing tactics associated with terrorism, particularly the kidnapping of individuals for ransom or political bargaining.
“These despicable tactics need to end,” Rubio said, warning that Afghanistan continues to pose a serious risk for American travelers due to ongoing detentions of U.S. citizens and other foreign nationals, as per a report on CNN.
Rubio also called on the Taliban leadership to immediately release all Americans currently in custody, specifically naming detainees Dennis Coyle and Mahmoud Habibi.
Cases Of Mahmoud Habibi And Dennis Coyle
Among the most prominent cases cited by U.S. officials is that of Mahmoud Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who previously served as Afghanistan’s director of civil aviation. Habibi was detained in Kabul in August 2022 along with several employees of his telecommunications company. Despite repeated inquiries from Washington, the Taliban has never publicly confirmed holding him.
The U.S. State Department has offered a reward of up to $5 million for information that could help secure Habibi’s safe recovery and return. Another case drawing attention is that of Dennis Coyle, an academic from Colorado who spent roughly two decades working in Afghanistan.
Coyle was detained in January 2025, according to the James Foley Foundation, which advocates for the release of hostages and wrongful detainees worldwide. His detention has further fueled concerns about the safety of foreigners operating in Taliban-controlled areas.
Washington Signals Tougher Approach
The designation marks a significant step in Washington’s strategy to increase diplomatic and economic pressure on the Taliban government. Rubio emphasised that the continued use of detentions as bargaining tools threatens international security and complicates efforts to stabilize Afghanistan.
He warned that the United States would continue pursuing measures aimed at securing the release of detained citizens and countering what officials have described as “hostage diplomacy”, reported First Post.
By applying the wrongful detention label, the Trump administration is signaling a broader policy approach aimed at confronting governments and groups that use foreign detainees as instruments of political leverage.
