U.S. Declares Afghanistan a Country of Unlawful Detention

by

Himanshu Tiwari

U.S. Declares Afghanistan a Country of Unlawful Detention

Washington, March 10: The United States has officially designated Afghanistan as a nation that unlawfully detains individuals. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the Taliban of holding American and other foreign citizens hostage to enforce their demands.

Rubio stated that Washington will not tolerate the Taliban’s hostage diplomacy. “Today, I am declaring Afghanistan a country that unlawfully detains people,” he said.

He further accused the Taliban of exploiting individuals for political gain. “The Taliban continues to employ terrorist tactics, kidnapping people for ransom or to seek concessions in policy. These despicable methods must end.”

This announcement highlights the ongoing detention of Americans in Afghanistan and aims to pressure the Taliban leadership to release them. Rubio emphasized that this situation poses significant risks for Americans attempting to travel to the country.

He remarked, “It is not safe for Americans to travel to Afghanistan as the Taliban continues to unlawfully detain our fellow citizens and other foreign nationals.”

The Secretary of State specifically called for the immediate release of several detainees. “The Taliban must now release Denis Koyl, Mahmood Habibi, and all Americans unlawfully detained in Afghanistan, and they must promise to end hostage diplomacy permanently.”

The U.S. State Department described this action as part of a broader effort to deter governments or officials who detain foreigners for political advantage. American officials have repeatedly warned that Americans traveling to countries with strained diplomatic relations face a higher risk of arbitrary detention.

This designation also signals a tough stance from the U.S. towards Taliban officials, who have ruled Afghanistan since seizing Kabul in August 2021. While the U.S. does not formally recognize the Taliban government, it continues limited diplomatic engagement on humanitarian and security issues.

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