If you're an American thinking about travelling to Afghanistan, Washington has a message for you: don't.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday designated Afghanistan a 'state sponsor of wrongful detention,' making it only the second country in history to receive such a label. The first was Iran. That designation came on 27 February. The US and Israel launched military strikes against Tehran the very next day.
Today, I am designating Afghanistan as a State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention. The Taliban continue to use terrorist tactics to seek policy concessions, but it won’t work under this administration. The Taliban must release Dennis Coyle, Mahmood Habibi, and all Americans unjustly…
No one is saying theUS plans to bomb Afghanistan. But the pattern is hard to ignore.
Both designations were announced on symbolic days. Iran's came hours before Operation Epic Fury began targeting Iranian military infrastructure. Afghanistan's was unveiled onHostage and Wrongful Detainee Day, with families of detained Americans gathered at the State Department.
The designation activates powers under an executive order signed last September. It allows the administration to impose sanctions, export controls, and — here's the part that matters — passport travel restrictions.
Right now, such restrictions exist for only one country: North Korea.
Americans can't travel there on US passports without getting special government permission. If the same rules apply to Afghanistan, visiting the country could become illegal for US citizens. Even for those with dying parents or property disputes back home.
At the centre of this story is Dennis Coyle.
The 64-year-old academic from Colorado was detained by the Taliban's General Directorate of Intelligence in January 2025. His family says he's been held in near-solitary confinement ever since. He needs permission to use the bathroom. No charges have been filed against him.
Source: International Business Times UK
