US Afghanistan ‘State Sponsor Of Wrongful Detention’
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The United States has designated Afghanistan as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention,” accusing the Taliban-led government of detaining foreign nationals for political leverage.
US officials said the move was prompted by the continued detention of two American citizens, whom Washington insists are being held unjustly.
The US government called on the Taliban authorities to immediately release the detainees and end what it described as “hostage diplomacy.”
According to officials, the designation is intended to draw international attention to the issue and increase pressure on the Afghan leadership to respect international norms regarding the treatment of foreign nationals.
The Taliban administration has yet to issue a formal response to the designation.
The development marks another point of tension between Washington and the Taliban government since the group returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.