KABUL (Ariana News): Don Brown, the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires for Afghanistan, on Sunday cautioned that anyone attempting to use American citizens as bargaining chips will face severe repercussions.
“If you attempt to use an American citizen as a bargaining chip, you will face serious consequences,” Brown wrote on X, without directly naming Afghanistan’s current rulers.
This warning follows the signing of a new executive order by US President Donald Trump, that paves the way for Washington to designate countries around the world a state sponsor of wrongful detention and impose punitive measures, including sanctions, on those it deems are wrongfully holding Americans.
Brown described the executive order as an unprecedented measure aimed at protecting Americans from wrongful detentions abroad.
Earlier this year, after Trump returned to office, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) released two American citizens. However, U.S. officials claim that IEA has also detained Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American national.
The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly denied holding Habibi.
The US government does not publish the number of Americans detained abroad. The Foley Foundation, an advocacy group, stated that at least 54 Americans were wrongfully detained in 17 countries in 2024.
