US Puts Taliban On Wrongful Detention List, Demands Release Of Americans
The United States has called on the Taliban to release all detained American citizens after placing the group on its list of entities responsible for unlawful detention.
The US State Department told Afghanistan International that the Taliban must end what it described as hostage diplomacy or face consequences.
In a written message to the outlet, the office of the US president’s special envoy for hostage affairs warned that any foreign government illegally detaining American citizens would face repercussions.
On Monday, the United States designated the Taliban authorities as a jurisdiction responsible for wrongful detention. After Iran, the Taliban administration is the second authority placed on the list.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Taliban were using tactics resembling terrorism to extract political concessions and stressed that such methods would not succeed against the United States.
The Taliban have not yet responded to Washington’s decision.
According to US officials, at least three American citizens are currently being held in Taliban custody.
In recent months, the issue of detained Americans has been a key topic in talks between Washington and the Taliban. Adam Boehler and Zalmay Khalilzad travelled to Kabul in late 2025 and discussed their release with Amir Khan Muttaqi.
