POLITICS — March 25, 2026
Afghan Embassy in Italy Welcomes Taliban's Release of U.S. Citizen, Labels Group 'Terrorist, Reactionary'
The Afghan Embassy in Italy welcomed the Taliban's release of U.S. citizen Dennis Cole but accused leader Hibatullah Akhundzada of yielding to pressure from Donald Trump's warning, labeling the Taliban a terrorist and illegitimate group.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Hasht-e Subh — 2 min read
KABUL (Afghan Verified) — The Afghan Embassy in Italy welcomed the Taliban's release of American citizen Dennis Cole, while describing the group as a "terrorist, reactionary, and illegitimate" organization.
In a statement issued on 5 Hamal, the embassy demanded the release of other American prisoners held in Taliban custody. It accused the Taliban of subjecting millions of Afghan citizens to imprisonment and gradual death, and ignoring all public demands over the past four and a half years.
The embassy claimed that Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada "bowed down" before America out of fear of a warning from former U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the statement, Akhundzada made no mention of attacks by Pakistan in his Eid speech before authorizing Cole's release.
The embassy stressed that Afghanistan and the Taliban should not be conflated, urging the international community to stand by the country's civil and political society and support their "just and fair struggle."
The statement was released on Wednesday in response to the prisoner's release, which the embassy noted occurred amid heightened U.S. pressure.
Read the original reporting at Hasht-e Subh →
Reliability assessment
Single source (Hasht-e Subh) reports an on-record statement from the named Afghan Embassy in Italy with concrete, checkable details: specific date (5 Hamal), named prisoner (Dennis Cole), references to Eid speech and Trump's warning. The verifiable fact 'Embassy said X' qualifies as reliable per guidelines.
The source language mixes facts with framing or advocacy wording. Hasht-e Subh: "bowed down to America" (deferential submission implying weakness); "terrorist, reactionary, and illegitimate" (pejorative labels presenting opinion as fact); "out of fear of Trump's warning" (speculative motive attributing cowardice). These phrases mix reporting with emotional framing and advocacy.
Independent web corroboration
An independent web search turned up no separate corroborating reports. Treat the account as single-sourced until more outlets pick it up.
Across the newsrooms
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Hasht-e Subh
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Politics — Afghan Embassy in Italy, Hibatullah Akhundzada, Taliban, Dennis Cole, Donald Trump
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