Afghanistan rejects US claims Afghan citizen detained by interim Taliban administration

Afghanistan on Thursday "categorically" rejected the US claims that a missing American-Afghan citizen is in the custody of the interim Taliban administration.

The US State Department late last month offered a reward of up to $5 million for certain information leading to the location, recovery, and safe return of Mahmood Shah Habibi, an "American businessman" abducted in Afghanistan in August 2022.

Washington alleged that Habibi was abducted, along with his driver, from his vehicle in Kabul and detained by the Taliban's General Directorate of Intelligence.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan categorically rejects the allegations made by the United States of America, which accuse the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) of Afghanistan of involvement in the disappearance of an Afghan citizen named Mahmood Shah Habibi," Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the interim Afghan government, said in a statement.

Afghanistan's relevant institutions have undertaken investigations across all concerned departments in response to a petition submitted by Habibi's family, and no evidence was found indicating that he has been detained by any entity affiliated with the "Islamic Emirate," he added.

"All institutions of the Islamic Emirate, including the General Directorate of Intelligence, remain committed to upholding the legitimate rights of detainees in accordance with the Sharia-based laws" approved by the Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada.

These institutions, he further said, are also obligated to refer any detained person to the judicial authorities within the legally prescribed timeframe.

As a legitimate governing authority, the spokesman went on to say, the government has no reason to detain or conceal any individual merely suspected of criminal activity.

"Historically as well, citizens of several countries, including the United States, who were apprehended for violations of Afghanistan's enforced laws, maintained regular contact with their families, and judicial and legal proceedings related to their cases were conducted with transparency," he maintained.