U.S. Official Warns: Release of All Citizens a Condition for Halting Pressure on Taliban

Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump, has stated that pressure on the Taliban will continue until all American citizens are released from detention. Speaking after the release of Dennis Coyne, an American citizen, Gorka emphasized that others, including Mahmood Shah Habibi and Paul Orbe, remain in Taliban custody. Gorka has repeatedly called on the Taliban to end what he describes as “hostage diplomacy” and to free all American citizens, noting that this message has been clearly communicated to the group. Meanwhile, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that Dennis McCoy, an American citizen, had been released after one year in detention. The group said the decision followed a letter from his mother and was timed to coincide with the Eid holiday. The Taliban have not formally responded to recent U.S. warnings. However, sources in Kandahar told Amo that these warnings have caused serious concern within the office of Hibatullah Akhundzada. According to these sources, the Taliban leader has held several meetings with officials and advisers in response to the developments.