American returns home after year of confinement in Afghanistan

A 64-year-old U.S. citizen returned home Wednesday after more than a year of detention in Afghanistan under the Taliban, despite never being charged with a crime.

“Earlier this month, I met Molly, Amy, and Patti as they asked for help freeing their brother Dennis Coyle from detention in Afghanistan. Today, Dennis is on his way home,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X, thanking the United Arab Emirates and Qatar “for their support.”

“The release is a positive step towards ending the practice of hostage diplomacy,” he added.

Coyle was released Tuesday and landed Wednesday in San Antonio, Texas, where his family was waiting to embrace him and welcome him home.

Coyle had spent nearly two decades in Afghanistan legally, as an academic working to “support language communities,” according to Fox News.

Taliban personnel arrested Coyle in January 2025, taking him from his home in Kabul, and held him in near-solitary confinement, Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler told Fox News.

When President Trump learned of Coyle’s confinement in January of this year, he promised to bring him home, according to a post from The White House.

“President Trump made clear: the United States will not tolerate the unjust detention of its citizens — anywhere,” Boehler told Fox News. “His personal determination – executed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a fully aligned interagency team – has driven a shift to accountability, pressure and results.”

Coyle is one of more than 100 Americans the Trump administration has freed from unlawful imprisonment in various countries, according to Fox. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs (SPEHA) said the Taliban must release all other held Americans, including Mahmood Habibi and Paul Overby.

“We remain committed to freeing all Americans wrongfully detained abroad,” SPEHA said in a post on X.

Image credit: The White House