Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged that the government is taking the detention of Canadian veteran David Lavery by the Taliban "very seriously." Trudeau confirmed that consular assistance has been offered to Lavery’s family following his arrest last week.
Speaking at the conclusion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru, Trudeau responded to inquiries regarding Lavey’s detention, stating, "I can assure you that, first and foremost, the Government of Canada is taking this situation very, very seriously." However, he declined to provide further details on the matter.
According to Canadian news outlet CTV News, Lavery was detained at Kabul’s airport on Monday after arriving in Afghanistan. Lavery, who has traveled to Afghanistan multiple times, provides advisory services through his private security firm based in Kabul.
A source informed CTV News that the Taliban had been aware of Lavery’s presence and activities in the country for several years.
Global Affairs Canada, which manages the country's diplomatic and consular affairs, confirmed it is monitoring the situation closely, noting that Canadian officials are aware of "an incident involving a Canadian citizen in Afghanistan."
Lavery was the last Canadian left at Kabul’s airport during the chaotic evacuation in August 2021. During that operation, Lavery helped evacuate over 100 Afghan nationals from the capital.
