US calls Taliban ruled Afghanistan state of wrongful detention

US Secretary – (Web Desk) – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday criticized Afghanistan over the detention of American citizens. He said the situation could lead to a ban on US passport holders traveling to the country.

Rubio said he is officially naming the Taliban led government as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention.” He asked officials in Kabul to release all Americans being held there. This includes Mahmood Habibi and Dennis Coyle.

He said the Taliban keeps using harsh tactics. These include taking people and holding them to get money or political demands. Rubio said such actions must stop. He also warned that Americans could face unfair detention if they travel to Afghanistan.

The US is also asking for the return of the remains of writer Paul Overby. He was last seen in 2014 near the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Officials said the US may limit the use of American passports for travel to Afghanistan if its demands are not met. Right now, such travel limits only apply to North Korea.

Rubio had earlier made a similar decision about Iran on February 27. It was the first time this step was taken under an order signed by Donald Trump in September. Rubio warned that travel to Iran could also face limits because of detained US citizens, though no ban has been placed yet.

Soon after that decision, the US and Israel began a war against Iran the next day.

Reuters was unable to reach the government in Afghanistan for comment.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has previously denied that it detained Habibi, who was the head of Afghanistan’s civil aviation.

CBS News was the first to report on the US considering designating Afghanistan as a state sponsor of wrongful detention earlier on Monday.