Missing in Kabul: The U.S. Citizen Witnesses Say Was Held by the Taliban

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Elian Peltier and Adam GoldmanJanuary 28, 2026 at 12:58 PM

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long article 4 min

In 2022, U.S.-Afghan citizen Mahmood Shah Habibi was allegedly detained in Kabul by Taliban intelligence officers, according to witness statements and U.S. officials. Habibi was taken from the street and his apartment was searched, with his whereabouts remaining unknown since. Taliban officials deny holding Habibi or having knowledge of his location. The disappearance occurred shortly after a U.S. strike killed Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Kabul. Habibi worked for a telecommunications company, and was detained with other employees, most of whom have been released. His case has become a point of tension between the U.S. and the Taliban government, as the U.S. prioritizes the release of detained citizens.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Ahmadullah 30% Ahmad 30% Asia Consultancy Group 40% Ahmad Shah Habibi ×240% C.I.A. 50% Al Qaeda 50% Ayman al-Zawahri 50% Afghanistan ×260% United States ×370% Kabul ×370% Taliban ×380% Mahmood Shah Habibi ×790%

Keywords

u.s.-afghan citizen 90% taliban 90% detention 80% mahmood shah habibi 80% kabul 70% arrest 70% intelligence services 70% u.s. officials 60% release of u.s. citizens 60%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

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Source

New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

United States

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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u.s.-afghan citizen taliban detention mahmood shah habibi kabul arrest intelligence services u.s. officials release of u.s. citizens

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