Third American held by Taliban: Family calls for immediate release, expressing concern.

Mahmood Habibi, a U.S. citizen, completed his second year of detention in Afghanistan, despite the Taliban's ongoing denial of his imprisonment. This month, the State Department publicly challenged the Taliban's narrative that only two American citizens are being held captive.

In an Aug. 8 press conference, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the department is concerned about the well-being of Americans unjustly detained in Afghanistan, including Habibi, George Glezmann, and Ryan Corbett.

In his press briefing, Miller stated that Glezmann and Corbett were classified as "wrongfully detained" and Habibi as "unjustly detained." Miller clarified that they cannot make a wrongful determination due to lack of access to certain information or unclear situations.

The FBI is also looking for information about Habibi's disappearance, as stated on Aug. 10.

Ahmad Shah Habibi, the brother of Habibi, spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital about Mahmood's detention. He stated that Mahmood traveled to Afghanistan in August 2022 for his job with Fairfax, Virginia-based ARX Communications because the Taliban had "welcomed" Afghans to return to the country and work towards building a better future for Afghanistan.

The Taliban arrested Habibi and 29 of his colleagues on Aug. 10, asking about the July 30 drone strike that killed Ayman al-Zawahiri. Only two ARX Communications personnel were not released.

Ahmad maintains that his brother was not involved in the attack on Zawahiri. He asserts that the Taliban imprisoned his brother because Mahmood was the deputy minister of the Civil Aviation Authority under the previous Afghan government and is a U.S. citizen. Mahmood received citizenship in 2021.

Mahmood's detention by the Taliban is not publicly acknowledged, which means he is unable to contact his family or receive wellness checks from international diplomats. According to Ahmad, individuals within Afghanistan have informed the family that Mahmood is alive, but they have been hesitant to provide any additional details about the source of this information. "We are worried. I am not certain about his current condition or how he is doing," Ahmad stated.

Ryan Corbett and George Glezmann, both arrested in 2022, have endured harsh conditions in Taliban custody. A Senate resolution urges the immediate release of Glezmann, who is suffering from facial tumors, hypertension, severe malnutrition, and other medical conditions, and is rapidly declining in his physical and mental health. Meanwhile, a House resolution calls for the immediate release of Corbett, who has been held in a basement cell with minimal sunlight, is given scraps of fatty meat, and now experiences seizures, fainting, and discolored extremities.

Unlike Habibi, Corbett and Glezmann have had limited access to wellness checks from Qatari diplomats and are only occasionally permitted to contact their families.

In March 2024, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid acknowledged that the Taliban held two Americans in their prisons, according to Voice of America. Mujahid reiterated this message in July during controversial meetings in Doha between Taliban representatives and international leaders. During these meetings, Mujahid mentioned that the Taliban also have prisoners in America, specifically those held in Guantánamo. He emphasized the need for the Taliban to release their prisoners in exchange for the release of these American prisoners.

In July, three unnamed senior Taliban leaders told CBS News that they would consider trading three American prisoners in Afghanistan for Guantánamo Bay detainee Muhammad Rahim and two Afghans charged with drug-related offenses in U.S. prisons. However, by August, two officials had changed their previous statements, claiming that only two American prisoners were held, while the third denied that the Taliban held Habibi at all.

Since their return to power, the Taliban have stated that they only hold two Americans in prison for breaking Afghan laws, and that they do not have anyone named Habibi in their prisons. Ariana News has become a platform for the Taliban's message.

According to Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the FDD's Long War Journal, Rahim is the final Afghan detainee in Guantánamo Bay. Roggio described Rahim as "as nasty as they come" to Planet Chronicle Digital.

In March 2016, Roggio released a report on Rahim, a Guantánamo Bay detainee, which stated that the prisoner had become more deeply committed to the group's jihadist doctrine and Islamic extremism in prison. According to the report, Rahim continues to view the U.S. and the West as enemies, has expressed support for and praised attacks by other terrorist groups, and intends to return to jihad and kill Americans.

According to the Director of National Intelligence, 27% of released Guantánamo detainees have returned to the battlefield, as reported by Planet Chronicle in December.

The Taliban political office in Doha's head, Suhail Shaheen, stated that he was unaware of Habibi's case. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, and Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, did not respond to questions regarding Habibi's case or which Afghans the Taliban intends to exchange for American captives.

Ahmad reports that he and his family have met with government officials from the State Department, White House, and various senators and representatives from California, Virginia, and New Jersey in an effort to advocate for Mahmood's return.

Zulhija, Mahmood's wife and a doctor in Afghanistan, has been forced to put aside studying for the medical boards due to the stress of advocating for Mahmood and caring for their young daughter, as a result of his arrest impacting the entire family, including elderly parents.

Ahmad explained that although Mahmood is in detention, the family feels like they are all detained.