Monitoring Desk: A potential agreement between the United States and the Afghan Taliban for the release of Afghan-American businessman Mahmood Shah Habibi appears to be nearing its final stages, according to recent statements by Taliban officials and diplomatic sources.
In a recent interview with TOLOnews, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed for the first time that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is currently holding two American citizens in custody. However, he refrained from publicly identifying the detainees.
Mujahid described the cases as “minor in nature” and indicated that the issue could be resolved soon through legal procedures.
“They were arrested for violating Afghan law. There are ways to resolve such issues, and in my view, the matter is not very serious. It is possible that their cases will be resolved soon. Their detention is legal, and their cases are in the courts. They had legal files, and we hope the issue will be resolved,” Mujahid stated during the interview.
ALERT: Taliban Confirm Detention of Two Americans For First Time, Most Likely Including Afghan-American Mahmood Shah Habibi
The Taliban have, for the first time, officially confirmed that two American citizens are being held in Afghanistan, most likely including Afghan-American… pic.twitter.com/EoSc67xCWV
— The Khorasan Diary (@khorasandiary) March 13, 2026
This marks the first official confirmation by the Taliban authorities that American nationals are being held under their custody since they returned to power in August 2021.
Diplomatic sources in Kabul suggest that backchannel negotiations between Washington and the Taliban leadership have been underway, reportedly facilitated by a Middle Eastern country acting as an intermediary. The talks are believed to focus on the potential release of the detained Americans, including Afghan-American businessman Mahmood Shah Habibi.
According to U.S. officials, the two detainees include Dennis Coyle, an American academic and researcher who traveled to Afghanistan in 2025, and Mahmood Shah Habibi, a former head of Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority during the previous government. Habibi disappeared in Kabul in 2022, shortly after the Taliban takeover, and U.S. authorities have long suspected that he was being held by Afghan officials despite earlier Taliban denials.
The confirmation by the Taliban comes at a time when the U.S. Department of State recently designated Afghanistan as a country involved in illegal detentions, citing growing concerns over the treatment and detention of foreign nationals in the country.
Analysts believe that a successful agreement over the detainees could become a significant confidence-building step between Washington and the Taliban administration, potentially opening the door for further diplomatic engagement after years of strained relations.
However, neither the U.S. government nor Taliban authorities have officially confirmed the details or timeline of a possible release deal, and negotiations are believed to still be ongoing.
