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The family of an Afghan-American denounces his disappearance two months ago in Afghanistan and points to the Taliban

The family of an Afghan-American denounces his disappearance two months ago in Afghanistan and points to the Taliban

Oct. 5 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The family of an Afghan-American has reported his disappearance two months ago after returning to the Central Asian country for work reasons and has accused the Taliban of keeping him in detention, although the Afghan authorities have not commented on the matter.

Ahmad Shah, brother of Mahmud Shah Habibi, has stated that the man disappeared on August 10 and added that “he was working as a consultant for a telecommunications company in Shash-Darak, in Kabul”. “He had no problems in Afghanistan after the country fell to the Taliban,” he added.

Thus, it has detailed that the man, former head of the Afghan Aviation Authority, made several trips between the United States and Afghanistan during the last year, although he has highlighted that on this occasion he was detained by the Taliban at his home in Shairpur, according to has picked up the Afghan news agency Jaama Press.

Shah has highlighted that around 30 workers from the same company were arrested along with him, although he has emphasized that “many of them were later released.” In addition, he has regretted that the authorities have not responded to his requests for information.

On the other hand, he has reported that the man’s family has contacted the US State Department to ask for help with the situation and has revealed that Washington “has promised to contact the Taliban and negotiate Habibi’s release with them.”

In this sense, sources from the State Department have confirmed to Jaama Press that they are aware of the detention of US citizens and have reiterated the recommendation to avoid all types of travel to the country due to the risk of violence and kidnappings.

For their part, sources close to the Taliban have indicated on condition of anonymity that Habibi was detained by agents of the Intelligence Department along with other employees of Asia Consultancy Group, an Afghan-American company that works in the telecommunications sector.

The Taliban released American Mark Frerichs in September, kidnapped two years ago in Afghanistan, as part of a prisoner exchange that has led the United States to release Bishr Nurzai, considered a figure close to the founder of the Taliban, Mullah Mohamad. Omar.

Frerichs, a US Navy veteran, was kidnapped in late January 2020 while working as a construction contractor in Afghanistan. After that, he pointed to the Haqqani Network, an ally of the Taliban, as responsible, while the insurgents – who a month later signed a peace agreement with the United States – denied that he was in their custody.

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