The Afghan Taliban government announced the release of American citizen Dennis Coyle, who had been detained for more than a year. Officials said the decision followed his family’s plea for clemency ahead of Eid.
“The Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate considered the period of his detention sufficient and decided to release him,” the foreign ministry said.
Negotiations involving the US, the Taliban and the United Arab Emirates
The extradition announcement came after a meeting involving Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, UAE ambassador Saif Mohammed Al-Ketbi and a member of Coyle’s family, AFP reported.
The UAE played a key mediating role, with Taliban authorities describing the move as a gesture of goodwill.
Coyle, 64, appeared relieved as he spoke briefly at Kabul airport before departing on an Emirati jet.
The US welcomes the move, seeks the release of others
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the development and urged further disclosure.
“Dennis joins more than 100 Americans who have been released in the past 15 months,” Rubio said.
He added: “We continue to seek the immediate return of Mahmood Habibi, Paul Overby and all other unjustly detained Americans.”
Conditions of arrest and detention
Coyle, a linguist and researcher from Colorado, was arrested in January 2025. Taliban authorities said he violated local laws, without giving details.
But his family said he was working legally in Afghanistan and described harsh conditions in detention.
According to the family’s website, he was kept in “almost solitary conditions… without access to adequate medical care.”
Ongoing custody disputes
The US recently included Afghanistan on its list of countries involved in “improper detention”, which Kabul described as “deplorable”.
Despite the tensions, both sides have engaged in negotiations, with several prisoner releases in recent years seen as confidence-building steps.
