Kabul: The Taliban has released Dennis Walter Coyle, an American citizen who was held in Afghanistan for more than a year, in a move welcomed by the United States. Coyle, 64, was arrested in January 2025 while living in Afghanistan, where he had been working as a language researcher, according to his family.
In a statement, Afghanistan’s Taliban-run foreign ministry said Coyle had been pardoned ahead of Eid al-Fitr, adding that his period of imprisonment was deemed “sufficient" by the country’s Supreme Court.
“The esteemed authority of the Supreme Court deemed his prior imprisonment sufficient, and today he was handed over to his family in Kabul," the ministry said.
Coyle had not been formally charged with any crime during his detention. His family said he was held in near-solitary conditions, raising concerns about his health during captivity. Speaking briefly after his release, Coyle said he was “feeling good".
The US government welcomed the development, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming that Coyle was on his way home. The United Arab Emirates facilitated the release.
Coyle's release comes weeks after the US designated Afghanistan a “state sponsor of wrongful detention," accusing the Taliban of detaining foreign nationals for leverage. Taliban authorities have denied the allegation.
