Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities on Tuesday released American academic Dennis Coyle after holding him for more than a year, saying the move was made on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.
In a statement, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said Coyle was freed in Kabul following an appeal from his family and after the country’s Supreme Court deemed his previous detention sufficient.
Coyle had been detained in January 2025 over alleged legal violations, though authorities did not specify the charges.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the development, saying the release reflects President Donald Trump’s commitment to securing the freedom of Americans held abroad.
“Dennis joins over 100 Americans who have been freed in the past 15 months under his second term,” Rubio said, while adding that further efforts are needed.
Earlier this month, the US State Department designated Afghanistan as a country involved in wrongful detention, accusing it of engaging in “hostage diplomacy” alongside Iran. Kabul rejected the allegation, insisting that foreigners are detained only for legal violations, not for political leverage.
The State Department believes at least four US nationals remain in Taliban custody, including Mahmood Habibi, who was reportedly taken in 2022. Afghan authorities, however, deny holding him.
Habibi’s brother, Ahmad Habibi, welcomed Coyle’s release but expressed hope for his brother’s safe return.
Rubio also referred to Paul Overby, who disappeared in eastern Afghanistan’s Khost province in 2014 while working on a book, and called for the immediate release of all detained Americans.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi reiterated that Afghanistan does not detain foreign nationals for political purposes, saying Coyle was released after completing legal procedures.
Both sides acknowledged the role of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in facilitating the release. The ministry said Muttaqi had met former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Kabul prior to the development.
The Taliban, who returned to power in 2021 following the withdrawal of US-led forces after nearly two decades, said the release was carried out on humanitarian grounds and expressed hope for improved trust and dialogue between the two countries.