Taliban Holds American Hostage For One Year

Taliban hostage-takers mark one year holding American scholar Dennis Coyle without charges, exposing the deadly legacy of Biden’s chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal that President Trump now fights to reverse.

Story Highlights

Dennis Coyle, 64-year-old Colorado academic, detained January 27, 2025, by Taliban intelligence in Kabul after 20 years of legal language research.
U.S. State Department labels Coyle wrongfully detained; Taliban uses him as leverage in stalled prisoner swap talks.
President Trump pledges a “very strong position” to secure release, building on recent successes amid ongoing negotiations via Qatar.
Case underscores Taliban hostage diplomacy targeting Americans, heightening risks post-2021 U.S. pullout.

Coyle’s Detention Marks Taliban Leverage Tactics

Dennis Coyle, a 64-year-old language researcher from Colorado, has endured one year in near-solitary confinement since Taliban General Directorate of Intelligence agents abducted him from his Kabul apartment on January 27, 2025. Coyle lived legally in Afghanistan for nearly two decades, immersing himself in local communities and earning respect for his work. His detention without charges exemplifies the regime’s pattern of targeting Americans for political gain since seizing power in 2021. This approach demands U.S. prisoner releases, such as from Guantanamo, in exchange.

Failed Negotiations Echo Biden-Era Weakness

Coyle’s abduction came six days after Ryan Corbett’s release at the outset of President Trump’s second term. Prior U.S. offers to swap Guantanamo detainee Muhammad Rahim al Afghani for Corbett, George Glezmann, and Mahmoud Habibi collapsed due to Taliban demands. The U.S. maintains no diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, refuses to recognize the Taliban, and channels talks through Qatar. Taliban spokesmen confirm ongoing negotiations but cite U.S. “failed commitments” on Afghan detainees as a barrier. At least two other Americans remain held.

Trump Administration Steps Up Hostage Recovery

President Trump, in a recent interview, expressed initial unfamiliarity with Coyle’s case but committed to a “very strong position,” including internet-based actions for awareness. Trump team members like Seb Gorka and Adam Boehler facilitated another release in September 2025. The State Department demands Coyle’s immediate freedom and urges an end to hostage diplomacy. It offers a $5 million reward for Habibi’s information. The Robert Levinson Act designates Coyle wrongfully detained since June 2, 2025, bolstering recovery efforts.

Coyle’s family launched FreeDennisCoyle.com to rally support. The James Foley Foundation tracks the case, highlighting Taliban’s disregard for Coyle’s legal status and local ties. As of January 27, 2026, Coyle lacks medical access and faces health risks in isolation. Indirect U.S.-Taliban contacts continue, including Zalmay Khalilzad’s recent Kabul visit.

American Dennis Coyle marks 1 year of detention in Afghanistan
https://t.co/ziga3sUM4S

— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 26, 2026

Impacts Strain American Families and Policy

Short-term, stalled talks endanger Coyle’s health and reinforce U.S. travel warnings to Afghanistan. Long-term, this entrenches Taliban leverage tactics, complicating policy without an embassy. U.S. public distrust festers from the 2021 withdrawal, amplified by a November 2025 D.C. shooting by an Afghan evacuee. Academics and NGOs face elevated dangers in threat zones. The Trump administration eyes sanctions and the unused “State Sponsor of Wrongful Detention” label to pressure releases while upholding non-recognition.