The United States renewed its appeal Friday for information about Paul Overby, an American author who disappeared in Afghanistan more than 12 years ago, saying efforts to locate and recover him remain ongoing.
In a statement posted by the office of the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, US officials said Mr. Overby’s family had lived for years “with unanswered questions” following his disappearance in Khost Province in 2014.
“We continue to support efforts to recover Americans abroad and ensure no American is forgotten,” the statement said.
According to a Federal Bureau of Investigation notice included in the appeal, Overby was last seen in Khost City in mid-May 2014 while conducting research for a book. He was 71 years old at the time of his disappearance.
The FBI describes him as a freelance author originally from Illinois who spoke English, Pashto and German.
The bureau said Mr. Overby suffers from an inner-ear canal condition that requires treatment and medication.
The US government is offering rewards totaling up to $6 million for information leading to his recovery and return, including up to $5 million through the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program and an additional $1 million from the Justice Department.
The renewed appeal comes as Washington continues efforts to secure the release of American citizens held by the Taliban and clarify the fate of missing Americans in Afghanistan.
Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, several US citizens have been detained by Taliban authorities, while others have been released following negotiations involving American and Qatari officials.
Earlier this year, the Taliban released American citizen George Glezmann after more than two years in detention in Kabul. Before that, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were also released in separate exchanges mediated by Qatar.
US officials have repeatedly urged Taliban to release detained foreign nationals and provide information about missing Americans believed to have disappeared during Afghanistan’s decades of conflict.
