US Engages With Taliban Over Terror Threats, Hostage Releases

The US State Department has confirmed it is engaging with the Taliban to address national security concerns and facilitate the release of American hostages.

The announcement was made in a statement to Afghanistan International on Wednesday, though officials declined to disclose the level or nature of these engagements.

This development follows a recent visit to Kabul by a high-level delegation led by Adam Boehler, the US Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs and a close adviser to President Donald Trump. During the visit, Boehler met with senior Taliban officials, after which an American hostage was subsequently released.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously acknowledged that the Taliban has, over the past three years, cooperated with the United States in intelligence sharing and efforts to combat ISIS.

Despite this cooperation, Washington remains deeply concerned about advanced military equipment left behind during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. President Trump has repeatedly raised the idea of reclaiming Bagram Air Base, once one of the largest US military installations in the region.

In a separate development, the US State Department recently suspended humanitarian aid to the World Food Programme in Afghanistan. Officials cited concerns that the aid was being diverted to the Taliban, referring to the group as “terrorist Taliban” in a sharply worded statement.