US designates Afghanistan as 'State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention'

WASHINGTON: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday designated Afghanistan as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” demanding that the Taliban release two Americans and commit to ending what he described as “hostage diplomacy.”

In a statement on X, Rubio said: “Today, I am designating Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention.”

He added that the Taliban continue to use “terrorist tactics” to seek policy concessions, but warned that such actions “will not work under this administration.”

Rubio urged the Taliban to release Dennis Coyle, Mahmood Habibi, and all Americans unjustly detained in Afghanistan.

The decision paves the way for the administration of Donald Trump to impose restrictions such as sanctions and export controls in response to what Washington describes as the Taliban’s arbitrary detention of U.S. citizens.

The designation allows authorities created under an executive order signed in September to be used by the Trump administration.

The United States is also seeking the return of the remains of Paul Overby, an author who was last seen near Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan in 2014, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The sources said Washington could restrict the use of U.S. passports for travel to Afghanistan if the country fails to meet U.S. demands. Currently, such a restriction applies only to travel to North Korea.

On February 27, Rubio issued the same designation against Iran — the first country to be labeled under the executive order signed by Trump in September. Rubio warned that the United States could also restrict travel to Iran over its detention of American citizens, though no such restrictions have yet been imposed.

The United States and Israel launched a war against Iran the day after the determination was announced.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has previously denied detaining Habibi, who served as the head of Afghanistan’s civil aviation authority.

Today, I am designating Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. The Taliban continue to use terrorist tactics to seek policy concessions, but it won’t work under this administration. The Taliban must release Dennis Coyle, Mahmood Habibi, and all Americans unjustly…

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 9, 2026