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The household of one in all three Individuals held prisoner by the Taliban in Afghanistan is urging Washington to verify his whereabouts amid on-line rumours of his impending execution.
Afghan-born US citizen Mahmood Shah Habibi, 37, 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 possible assumed Mr Habibi’s former 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, just lately claimed with out offering proof that Mr Habibi had been transferred by the Taliban to al-Qaeda and would possible be executed quickly.
His household say they’ve acquired no such data from Kabul or the US State Division.
“I don’t agree with studies 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 and so they nonetheless have him. The US authorities ought to confirm such studies and ensure if the Taliban has handed over my brother to al-Qaeda,” Mr Habibi’s brother Ahmad Shah Habibi informed The Unbiased.
“Within the historical past of the Taliban’s rule, we’ve not seen any case the place they’ve handed over a detainee to every other group. We’ve got not acquired any official data from the US authorities or from the Taliban. I’m hoping 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 mentioned.
Mr Habibi urged the US authorities to redouble efforts to free his brother, noting that the Taliban had indicated a willingness to trade the American prisoners.
The Taliban declare they solely maintain two Individuals, Ryan Corbett and George Glezmann, allegedly for violating the nation’s legal guidelines. They’re holding them, Taliban spokesperson Zabiuhllah Mujahid indicated earlier this 12 months, to trade for Afghans imprisoned by the US in Guantanamo Bay.
The Taliban denies having Mr Habibi in custody.
“I feel the Taliban need three folks. 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 Habibi mentioned.
He mentioned the household has had no communication with Mr Habibi since he vanished in Afghanistan. “I don’t know the rationale 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 chance that he was arrested as a result of he labored for the earlier regime and likewise 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 informed The Unbiased.
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 method concerned within the American strike that killed Mr Zawahiri. “My brother had nothing to do with that,” he mentioned. “When the strike occurred, my brother was not even on Afghan soil.”
Mr Habibi mentioned some employees of his brother’s firm informed them that they had been interrogated by the Taliban about two towers close to the placement of the drone strike.
“My brother labored with a telecommunication firm with towers throughout Afghanistan, round 600 in complete. There have been cameras put in on the towers for his or her safety and never for civilians. My brother didn’t resolve the place to put in the towers or the cameras. He was simply one of many 1,200 staff, working as an adviser.”