Afghanistan's Taliban releases detained US national Dennis Coyle

© Wakil Kohsar, AFP
by FRANCE 24
March 24, 2026
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3 min read

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Taliban releases American academic Dennis Coyle after over one year detention without publicly disclosed charges.

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Afghanistan's Taliban government released American academic Dennis Coyle on Tuesday after holding him in detention for more than a year. Coyle was arrested in January 2025 on unspecified charges—Afghan authorities never publicly disclosed what laws they alleged he had violated. The release comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States and the Taliban-led government over human rights and the treatment of foreign nationals. Coyle's detention had drawn concern from U.S. officials given the lack of transparency around the charges and his status as a U.S. citizen held without clear legal justification. The move may signal a shift in Taliban policy toward American detainees, though the reasons for his release remain unclear.

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