Washington Welcomes Release of American Citizen from Taliban Detention

Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, has welcomed the release of Dennis Kuil, an American citizen who had been held by the Taliban in Afghanistan, describing it as a positive step toward ending what he called “hostage diplomacy.” Rubio wrote on X on Tuesday that earlier this month he met with members of Kuil’s family, including his sisters, during which they asked for assistance in securing his release. According to him, Dennis Kuil is now on his way home following his release. The U.S. Secretary of State also expressed appreciation for the role of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in facilitating the release process, describing their support as effective. Dennis Kuil, a 64-year-old university professor from the state of Colorado, was detained in January 2025 from his home in Kabul and was released after more than a year in detention. According to the Taliban, their Supreme Court reviewed his case, deemed his period of detention sufficient, and ordered his release. The development comes as pressure from Washington has increased in recent months for the release of American citizens detained in Afghanistan.