KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban authorities have denied any involvement in the disappearance of Afghan-American citizen Mahmood Shah Habibi, who went missing in Kabul in 2022, amid growing pressure from the United States and a $5 million reward offered for information about his whereabouts.
Habibi, a dual citizen and telecommunications executive, was abducted along with his driver more than two years ago in the Afghan capital. The FBI, in a 2024 bulletin, stated it believed the businessman was taken by Taliban military or intelligence forces.
The U.S. State Department has since publicly accused the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) of playing a role in Habibi’s disappearance. Last month, Washington offered a reward of up to $5 million for credible information leading to his safe return.
In a statement released Thursday, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said authorities were investigating a petition submitted by Habibi’s family but dismissed the U.S. accusations as baseless.
“Mr. Habibi is considered an Afghan citizen. No evidence has been uncovered indicating that he is being held by any entity affiliated with the Islamic Emirate,” Mujahid said, referring to the Taliban’s formal name for their government.
He also “categorically” rejected any involvement by the GDI.
The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021 after the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces, ending two decades of foreign military presence. Their administration remains internationally unrecognized, and the issue of foreign nationals held or missing in Afghanistan has become a point of contention with Western governments.
While the Taliban did not provide updated figures on Americans currently in custody, several cases have surfaced in recent months.
In January, the Taliban released two U.S. citizens—Ryan Corbett and William McKenty—in a prisoner swap mediated by Qatar. In March, American national Faye Hall was freed after two months of detention for allegedly possessing an unauthorized drone. However, two British nationals arrested alongside her remain in Taliban custody.
The U.S. continues to raise concerns over the safety of its citizens in Afghanistan and the lack of transparency surrounding detentions or disappearances under Taliban rule.
