US designates Afghanistan as 'state sponsor of wrongful detention' 

WASHINGTON, Mar 10: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday designated Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, as a "State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention," demanding the release of two Americans and an end to what he called Kabul's practice of "hostage diplomacy."

Rubio called on Taliban authorities to free US citizens Dennis Coyle, an academic from Colorado detained in January 2025, and Mahmoud Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman and former director of civil aviation, who was arrested in August 2022 along with employees of his telecommunications company. He also urged the release of all Americans unjustly detained in the country.

"The Taliban continues to use terrorist tactics, kidnapping individuals for ransom or to seek policy concessions," Rubio said, warning that it is "not safe for Americans to travel to Afghanistan." The designation follows a similar move last week against Iran, marking the first two countries on Washington's new "wrongful detention" blacklist created under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in September.

The Taliban, which returned to power in August 2021 following the US withdrawal and collapse of the previous Afghan government, called the designation "regrettable" and expressed a desire to resolve the matter through dialogue. The Afghan foreign ministry denied allegations that foreigners had been detained for ransom, saying that individuals are detained for legal violations and are often released following standard procedures.

Washington has previously negotiated the release of several Americans through diplomatic engagement and prisoner swaps mediated by Qatar. Last year, Amir Amiri, George Glezmann, and other US citizens were freed under such arrangements, highlighting ongoing talks between the two sides.

Rubio emphasized that the US expects Afghanistan to commit to ending wrongful detentions permanently, as the new blacklist signals Washington's broader effort to protect its citizens abroad.    �"AGENCIES