The Taliban said on Tuesday they have released an American citizen, Dennis Coyle, who had been detained in Afghanistan, describing the move as a goodwill gesture during the Eid holiday.
In a statement, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry said Coyle had been held for “violating Afghanistan’s laws” but was released in connection with Eid.
The ministry said Coyle was handed over to his family in Kabul. “The Supreme Court determined that the time he had already served in detention was sufficient, and he was handed over to his family in Kabul on Tuesday,” said the ministry.
It added that the decision was made “on the basis of humanitarian considerations and goodwill”, expressing hope that such steps could help strengthen trust between the two sides.
It also said it hopes both sides will address remaining issues through mutual understanding and constructive dialogue in the future.
Coyle, a 64-year-old academic from Colorado, was taken by force from his Kabul apartment by the Taliban in January 2025.
The release comes amid growing pressure from US officials over the detention of American citizens in Afghanistan.
Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to President Trump and senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, recently warned that Washington would not tolerate what he described as the Taliban’s use of “hostage diplomacy.”
“We will not tolerate the evil practice of hostage diplomacy,” Gorka said in a post on X, calling for the release of Americans held in Afghanistan, including Coyle.
Gorka’s remarks came as he marked one year since the release of another American, George Glezmann, who had been detained by the Taliban for nearly 836 days.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also designated Afghanistan as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” underscoring Washington’s concerns over the issue.
The US State Department continues to warn Americans against traveling to Afghanistan, citing risks of detention.
This comes as Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American, remains in Taliban custody, according to US officials.
The Taliban have previously denied using foreign detainees for political leverage, though such cases remain a major source of tension between their administration and Washington.
