Afghanistan releases American citizen after more than a year in prison

American citizen Dennis Coyle (C), after being released by the Taliban, walks with the United Arab Emirates ambassador in Kabul, Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi Wakil Kohsar / AFP Afghanistan released academic Dennis Coyle, a United States citizen, this Tuesday (24), after keeping him in captivity for more than a year. The 64-year-old man had been detained since January 2025, on allegations of violating laws. Afghan authorities, however, never publicly disclosed what these laws were. A statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the academic researcher was released in Kabul, the country’s capital, on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday that marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Following an appeal by Coyle’s family, Afghanistan’s Supreme Court “deemed his previous period of imprisonment sufficient”. Afghanistan released Coyle “out of humanitarian compassion and goodwill, and believes that such measures can further strengthen the climate of trust between the countries,” the Foreign Ministry said, adding that Kabul “also expresses the hope” that the country and the US “will find solutions to the remaining problems through understanding and constructive dialogue in the future.” Initial plugin text Earlier this month, the US State Department announced the designation of Afghanistan as a sponsor of illegal detentions, accusing it of practicing “hostage diplomacy.” Afghanistan’s government has rejected U.S. allegations that it detains foreigners to gain an advantage over other countries, saying Afghan authorities arrest people for violating laws, not to strike a deal. Afghan authorities are believed to have at least one more American citizen in their possession: Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company and disappeared in the country in 2022. The FBI and Habibi’s family have said they believe he was taken by Taliban forces, but Afghan authorities have denied detaining him. Habibi’s brother, Ahmad Habibi, celebrated Coyle’s release but said in a statement: “We hope our family will soon feel the same relief when Mahmood returns home.” See the videos that are trending on g1

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