Reports of Qatar requesting closure of Islamic Emirate political office in Doha denied

Sources at the Afghan embassy in Qatar told Doha News that reports claiming Qatar requested the closure of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's political office in Doha are incorrect.

The office was established in 2013 to facilitate negotiations related to the war in Afghanistan and later served as the primary venue for talks between the Islamic Emirate and the United States, culminating in the Doha Agreement.

In a related development, the Islamic Emirate's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described a recent U.S. decision designating Afghanistan as a "country supporting illegal detentions" as regrettable and emphasized resolving issues through dialogue. The ministry stated that no foreign nationals have been detained for bargaining purposes, though some individuals accused of violating laws have been held and many released after legal processes. It highlighted positive actions taken in the past year regarding some U.S. citizens as a gesture of goodwill and noted Qatar's role in facilitating U.S.-Afghanistan discussions.

Adam Boehler, the U.S. president's special representative for prisoners, warned that failure to release detained Americans could lead Afghanistan to face consequences similar to those imposed on Iran and Venezuela. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Kabul to free all detained U.S. citizens, including Mahmoud Habibi, former head of Afghanistan's civil aviation authority, and Dennis Coil. Rubio accused the Taliban (Islamic Emirate) of using "despicable" terrorist tactics, including kidnappings for ransom or political leverage.

Reuters, citing two informed sources, reported that the U.S. is also seeking the remains of Paul Orby, a writer last seen in 2014 near the Durand Line. Non-compliance could result in restrictions on U.S. passport use for travel to Afghanistan, a measure currently applied only to North Korea. The Islamic Emirate has previously released several U.S. prisoners after negotiations but denies detaining Habibi.