Taliban spokesperson responds to US charge d'affaires over detained American citizens

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban, responded to remarks by Dan Brown, the US Charge d'Affaires for Afghanistan, who accused the Taliban of using detained US citizens as leverage in negotiations.

Mujahid stated that the Taliban are in talks with Washington regarding the fate of American prisoners in Afghanistan and are seeking a solution. Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, similarly said contacts with US officials are ongoing to reach a satisfactory result. Mujahid previously told ToloNews that the detainees are held for legal violations.

Brown, based in Doha, Qatar, described the Taliban's approach on Wednesday as 'deplorable' and urged the international community to hold the Taliban accountable. He wrote on X that the Taliban continue to use detainees as leverage in talks with the United States and other countries.

US officials have named Dennis Walter Coil, a 64-year-old linguistics researcher detained for about a year, and Mahmud Shah Habibi, held since August 2022 in Kabul, as currently in Taliban custody. Afghanistan International reported at least three US citizens detained, including Poliniss Idern alongside Coil and Habibi. The Taliban have denied holding Habibi and, in exchange for Coil's release, demanded the freedom of Mohammad Rahim, an alleged al-Qaida member held at Guantanamo Bay since 2008.

Since 2024, the Taliban have released at least five US detainees, including Amir Amiri, Fay Di Hall, Ryan Corbett, William McKenty, and George Glezman. Corbett and McKenty were freed last April in exchange for a Taliban prisoner.

Previous US statements include those from Tammy Bruce, US deputy ambassador to the UN, who at a Security Council meeting accused the Taliban of 'hostage diplomacy' and seeking al-Qaida releases. Adam Boehler, Trump's special envoy for hostages, visited Kabul and warned the Taliban to end all hostage-taking.