US Designates Afghanistan State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention

US Accuses Taliban of Hostage Diplomacy

The United States has officially designated Afghanistan as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,” accusing the ruling Taliban of detaining foreign nationals as leverage in negotiations with Washington. Announcing the decision on Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move was intended to highlight what he described as the Taliban’s practice of unjustly holding American citizens and other foreigners.

Rubio warned that Afghanistan remains unsafe for American travellers, stating that the Taliban continues to detain US nationals without justification. He also accused the group of employing tactics similar to hostage diplomacy by abducting individuals to demand ransom or policy concessions.

Washington Demands Release of Detained Americans

In his statement, Rubio called on the Taliban authorities to immediately release American citizens currently in Afghan custody. He specifically named Dennis Coyle and Mahmoud Habibi among those allegedly detained in the country.

“The Taliban needs to release all Americans unjustly detained in Afghanistan now and commit to ending hostage diplomacy permanently,” Rubio said, describing such actions as unacceptable and calling for an immediate resolution.

Earlier in February, the United States had also designated Iran as a “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention,” signalling a broader push by Washington to confront governments it accuses of detaining foreign nationals for political leverage.

US Raises Concerns at UN Security Council

The issue was also raised at the United Nations Security Council, where US Ambassador Mike Waltz questioned the continued scale of international engagement and financial support for Afghanistan.

Waltz said the international community should reassess its assistance to the country due to what he described as the Taliban’s refusal to change key policies, including restrictions placed on women. He pointed out that the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan remains the largest special political mission operated by the UN despite a 15 per cent budget reduction for 2026.

Highlighting a reported $1 billion humanitarian funding gap, Waltz argued that international donors might be more willing to contribute if the Taliban allowed broader rights and participation for Afghan women in society. Taliban authorities had not immediately responded to the US designation or the remarks made at the Security Council.

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