Taliban Releases US Academic Dennis Coyle After Over a Year

American academic Dennis Coyle, a 64-year-old resident of Pueblo, Colorado, was released by Taliban authorities in Kabul on Tuesday after more than a year in detention. The release occurred in the presence of Taliban Foreign Ministry officials and a United States representative for detainee affairs, following a family appeal for clemency on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

Coyle had been detained in January 2025 when Taliban intelligence agents removed him from his home in Kabul. He had lived and worked in Afghanistan for nearly two decades as a linguist and researcher, supporting local communities by developing resources in native languages and fostering cultural ties. His family described the conditions of his confinement as harsh, including near-solitary isolation, restrictions on basic needs such as bathroom access, and inadequate medical care. No formal charges were publicly specified by Afghan authorities, though they stated the detention stemmed from violations of applicable laws.

The Taliban Foreign Ministry announced the release in a statement, noting that Coyle's family had requested mercy from the Islamic Emirate's leadership during the Eid holiday. Afghanistan's Supreme...