The disappearance of Afghan American Mahmood Shah Habibi — ex-head of Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority — has become a high-stakes test of trust and transparency for the Taliban government, accused by US officials of secretly detaining him since August 10, 2022.
Habibi vanished in Kabul shortly after al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed. US sources allege his employer, Asia Consultancy Group, helped locate Zawahiri, prompting Taliban intelligence to arrest him — a claim the Taliban deny.
US Senator Chris Coons insists there is proof of his detention and vows to keep pressing for his release. The FBI and US Department of Justice have offered up to $5 million for information on his whereabouts, noting his phone was once active inside a Taliban intelligence facility.
Some suspect he was seized by al-Qaeda-linked operatives. Washington warns the Taliban that continued secrecy will damage their already fragile credibility and further undermine their bid for international legitimacy.
