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The household of certainly one of three Individuals held prisoner by the Taliban in Afghanistan is urging Washington to substantiate his whereabouts amid on-line rumours of his impending execution.
Afghan-born US citizen Mahmood Shah Habibi, 39, was working with an American telecommunications firm when he was arrested by the Taliban in August 2022 after a drone strike killed al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Taliban seemingly assumed Mr Habibi’s employer, the US Federal Aviation Administration, was concerned within the strike, however didn’t cost him.
Sarah Adams, a former American spy employed by the CIA, not too long ago claimed with out offering proof that Mr Habibi had been transferred by the Taliban to al-Qaeda and would seemingly be executed quickly.
His household say they’ve acquired no such data from Kabul or the US State Division.
“I don’t agree with stories that the Taliban have handed over my brother to al-Qaeda. As per my data, the Taliban have him. They took him in August 2022 they usually nonetheless have him. The US authorities ought to confirm such stories and make sure if the Taliban has handed over my brother to al-Qaeda,” Mr Habibi’s brother Ahmad Shah Mahmood advised The Impartial.
“Within the historical past of the Taliban’s rule, we have now not seen any case the place they’ve handed over a detainee to every other group. Now we have not acquired any official data from the US authorities or from the Taliban. I hope it’s only a hearsay.”
The FBI final month issued a discover searching for details about Mr Habibi’s disappearance in Afghanistan. “It’s believed that Mr Habibi was taken by Taliban navy or safety forces and has not been heard from since his disappearance,” it stated.
Mr Mahmood urged the Joe Biden authorities to redouble efforts to free his brother, noting that the Taliban had indicated a willingness to alternate the American prisoners.
The Taliban declare they solely maintain two Individuals, Ryan Corbett and George Glezmann, allegedly for violating the nation’s legislation. They’re maintaining them, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid indicated earlier this 12 months, to alternate for Afghans imprisoned by the US in Guantanamo Bay.
The Taliban deny having Mr Habibi in custody.
“I feel the Taliban need three individuals. One is in Guantanamo Bay and two within the US. I don’t know who they’re asking for within the US, however the American authorities has to place in additional effort in getting my brother launched,” Mr Mahmood stated.
He stated the household has had no communication with Mr Habibi since he vanished in Afghanistan. “I don’t know the explanation why they don’t seem to be acknowledging my brother after they really detained him on 10 August 2022.”
Mr Habibi served as director of civil aviation and deputy minister of civil aviation within the Nato-backed Afghan authorities that was overthrown by the Taliban in 2021.
“There’s a risk that he was arrested as a result of he labored for the earlier regime and in addition with the US embassy in Afghanistan between 2011 to 2013. We expect his work for the US authorities and his American citizenship put him in bother,” his brother advised The Impartial.
Mr Habibi’s detention was flagged in March by the US Congress in a decision searching for his launch.
His brother denied that Mr Habibi was in any means concerned within the American strike that killed al-Zawahiri. “My brother had nothing to do with that,” he stated. “When the strike occurred, my brother was not even on Afghan soil.”
Mr Mahmood stated some staff of his brother’s firm advised them that they had been interrogated by the Taliban about two towers close to the situation of the drone strike.
“My brother labored with a telecommunication firm with towers throughout Afghanistan, round 600 in whole. There have been cameras put in on the towers for his or her safety and never for civilians. My brother didn’t determine the place to put in the towers or the cameras. He was simply one of many 1,200 workers, working as an adviser.”
