Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump, reaffirmed on X that the Trump administration is actively pressing the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to release American detainees.

“President Trump has made it clear that the Taliban (IEA) must cease their hostage-taking, or there will be consequences,” Gorka said. “We will not rest until Dennis Coyle and Mahmood Habibi come home.”

The IEA has denied detaining Habibi, who formerly served as head of Afghanistan’s civil aviation authority.

Over the past year, five American detainees have been released from Afghanistan. According to the New York Times, the IEA has demanded the release of the last Afghan prisoner held at Guantanamo Bay in exchange for freeing two American detainees in Afghanistan.

A UNHCR delegation led by Filippa Candler, Head of UNHCR in Afghanistan, met with Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to Pakistan, to discuss ongoing humanitarian assistance and challenges faced by Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

The meeting, which also included Charlie Goodlake, Senior External Relations Officer for the UNHCR Commission in Afghanistan, focused on the plight of remaining Afghan refugees, students, and other Afghan nationals living in Pakistan.

Ambassador Shakeeb welcomed the delegation and praised UNHCR for closely monitoring refugees’ living conditions and communicating their situation to the international community. However, he noted that the assistance provided so far remains insufficient.

“Although the support is limited, it is commendable that UNHCR continues to highlight refugees’ hardships,” Shakeeb said during the meeting.

Candler acknowledged the constraints, stating that despite financial limitations, UNHCR remains committed to providing the maximum possible assistance to Afghan refugees.

Goodlake provided an update on UNHCR’s support for returnees, saying the organization delivered approximately $25 million in assistance to refugees returning from Pakistan and Iran in 2025. He confirmed that UNHCR’s support would continue in coordination with the Afghan government.

The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing to continue cooperation and strengthen coordination on refugee and returnee support.

Gul Hasan Hasan, the Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Moscow, met with Tanju Bilgic, the Ambassador of Turkey, to discuss strengthening and expanding political, economic, and cultural relations between Kabul and Ankara.

In a statement issued by the Afghan Embassy in Moscow on Friday, the meeting also expressed appreciation for Turkey’s balanced policy toward the Islamic Emirate, based on mutual respect.

Both sides emphasized the need to facilitate visa issuance for Afghan traders and patients by Turkey and to further strengthen comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.