Kabul: American officials have held direct talks with Taliban leaders in Kabul, intensifying diplomatic efforts to resolve the fate of U.S. citizens believed to be held in Afghanistan. The meeting underscored both the urgency Washington attaches to securing the release of its nationals and the uneasy, yet ongoing, engagement between the United States and the Taliban regime.
According to the Afghan Foreign Ministry, discussions took place between senior Taliban representatives and a U.S. delegation led by Adam Boehler, Washington’s special envoy on hostage affairs, accompanied by Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. peace envoy to Afghanistan. On the Afghan side, Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar took part in the dialogue.
Central to the negotiations was the case of Mahmood Habibi, a naturalized American citizen whom the U.S. government says has been wrongfully detained in Afghanistan. Washington insists that Habibi’s detention remains unacknowledged by Taliban authorities, an issue that has strained the already delicate channel of communication between the two sides. The Taliban, however, deny knowledge of his case, adding to the atmosphere of mistrust.
The Biden administration has made the release of Americans detained abroad a top priority, employing diplomatic pressure and new legal tools to target governments and groups accused of “wrongful detention.” Previous efforts secured the return of George Glezmann earlier this year, who had been held in Afghanistan since 2022. The Kabul talks signal that Washington remains committed to pursuing every avenue for the safe return of its nationals, even if it requires engaging with a government it does not formally recognize.
While the U.S. raised the issue of detainees, Taliban leaders sought to use the opportunity to push for investment and sanctions relief. Deputy PM Baradar reportedly highlighted Afghanistan’s mineral wealth, especially rare earth elements, and urged Washington to consider economic cooperation. At the same time, he criticized ongoing sanctions as obstacles to the country’s reconstruction and stability.
Despite the cordial setting of the talks, neither side confirmed a breakthrough. The Taliban’s denial of holding Habibi remains a major obstacle, while the U.S. has made clear that progress on detainee cases is a prerequisite for any substantive improvement in bilateral ties. Both sides, however, signaled willingness to keep the channel of dialogue open, hinting at more rounds of negotiation in the coming months.
The discussions highlight the complex nature of U.S.–Taliban relations since the American withdrawal in 2021. With Afghanistan still under Taliban rule and facing economic collapse, Washington finds itself balancing humanitarian concerns, counter-terrorism interests, and the imperative of protecting its citizens. For the Taliban, engaging with the U.S. provides international visibility and the hope of economic relief but concessions on detainees may be unavoidable if they wish to improve ties.