Fears for US citizen held by Taliban amid reports he has been handed over to al-Qaeda

Mahmood Shah Habibi’s brother maintains he is with the Taliban and is urging the Biden administration to confirm his whereabouts

Mahmood Shah Habibi, a senior official in the previous Nato-backed Afghan regime, was reportedly arrested by the Taliban in 2022 (Photos sourced/The Independent)

The family of one of three Americans held prisoner by the Taliban in Afghanistan is urging Washington to confirm his whereabouts amid online rumours of his impending execution.

Afghan-born US citizen Mahmood Shah Habibi, 39, was working with an American telecommunications company when he was arrested by the Taliban in August 2022 after a drone strike killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. The Taliban likely assumed Mr Habibi’s employer, the US Federal Aviation Administration, was involved in the strike, but did not charge him.

Sarah Adams, a former American spy employed by the CIA, recently claimed without providing evidence that Mr Habibi had been transferred by the Taliban to al-Qaeda and would likely be executed soon.

His family say they have received no such information from Kabul or the US State Department.

“I don’t agree with reports that the Taliban have handed over my brother to al-Qaeda. As per my information, the Taliban have him. They took him in August 2022 and they still have him. The US government should verify such reports and confirm if the Taliban has handed over my brother to al-Qaeda,” Mr Habibi’s brother Ahmad Shah Mahmood told The Independent.

“In the history of the Taliban’s rule, we have not seen any case where they have handed over a detainee to any other group. We have not received any official information from the US government or from the Taliban. I am hoping it is just a rumour.”

The FBI last month issued a notice seeking information about Mr Habibi’s disappearance in Afghanistan. “It is believed that Mr Habibi was taken by Taliban military or security forces and has not been heard from since his disappearance,” it said.

Mr Mahmood urged the US government to redouble efforts to free his brother, noting that the Taliban had indicated a willingness to exchange the American prisoners.

The Taliban claim they only hold two Americans, Ryan Corbett and George Glezmann, allegedly for violating the country’s laws. They are keeping them, Taliban spokesperson Zabiuhllah Mujahid indicated earlier this year, to exchange for Afghans imprisoned by the US in Guantanamo Bay.

The Taliban denies having Mr Habibi in custody.

“I think the Taliban want three people. One is in Guantanamo Bay and two in the US. I don’t know who they are asking for in the US, but the American government has to put in more effort in getting my brother released,” Mr Mahmood said.

He said the family has had no communication with Mr Habibi since he vanished in Afghanistan. “I don’t know the reason why they are not acknowledging my brother when they actually detained him on 10 August 2022.”

Mahmood Habibi with his young daughter a few weeks before he disappeared in Afghanistan in August 2022 (Sourced/ The Independent)

Mr Habibi served as director of civil aviation and deputy minister of civil aviation in the Nato-backed Afghan government that was overthrown by the Taliban in 2021.

“There is a possibility that he was arrested because he worked for the previous regime and also with the US embassy in Afghanistan between 2011 to 2013. We think his work for the US government and his American citizenship put him in trouble,” his brother told The Independent.

Mr Habibi’s detention was flagged in March by the US Congress in a resolution seeking his release.

Mahmood Habibi’s family believes his work with the US government led to his alleged arrest by the Taliban (Sourced/ The Independent)

His brother denied that Mr Habibi was in any way involved in the American strike that killed Mr Zawahiri. “My brother had nothing to do with that,” he said. “When the strike happened, my brother was not even on Afghan soil.”

Mr Mahmood said some workers of his brother’s company told them they had been interrogated by the Taliban about two towers near the location of the drone strike.

“My brother worked with a telecommunication company with towers all over Afghanistan, around 600 in total. There were cameras installed on the towers for their security and not for civilians. My brother didn’t decide where to install the towers or the cameras. He was just one of the 1,200 employees, working as an adviser.”