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US offers $5 million reward for information on Afghan-American detained by Islamic Emirate
The United States has announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the location and safe return of Mahmoud Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who was detained by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) intelligence agency nearly two years ago.
The offer, issued through the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program on Monday, underscores growing concern over Habibi’s fate.
He was arrested on August 10, 2022, in Kabul. A former head of Afghanistan’s civil aviation authority under the previous Western-backed government, Habibi was reportedly detained along with his driver and 29 colleagues from a local telecommunications firm.
All but two — Habibi and another unnamed individual — have since been released.
“Mr. Habibi has not been heard from since his initial arrest, and the so-called Taliban (IEA) government has yet to provide any information regarding his whereabouts or condition,” the department’s statement said.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which took power in August 2021 following the withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces, has denied holding Habibi. Despite repeated requests from U.S. officials and international rights organizations, no credible details about his status have emerged.
The Biden and now Trump administrations have made the recovery of U.S. citizens detained abroad a key priority. The reward offer forms part of a broader effort by Washington to pressure the IEA and mobilize public cooperation to help locate Americans detained in conflict zones.
The State Department has urged individuals with relevant information to contact the Rewards for Justice program through secure and anonymous channels.
Habibi’s disappearance remains a sensitive issue in U.S.-IEA relations, with American officials warning that unresolved detentions such as his pose a major obstacle to any meaningful engagement with the current Afghan authorities.
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Afghanistan received more than $11 billion in humanitarian aid over the past five years
Afghanistan has received more than $11 billion in humanitarian assistance since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in August 2021, according to United Nations figures cited by the BBC.
Despite the substantial aid, the gap between humanitarian needs and available funding remains wide, with the United Nations warning that millions of Afghans continue to require assistance.
The decline in international funding, a growing number of people in need and the return of millions of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries have added pressure to the country’s humanitarian situation.
Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis deepened following the collapse of the previous government in August 2021. The depreciation of the national currency, the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs and reductions in some international support programs further strained the economy and living conditions.
UN data shows that Afghanistan received about $5.2 billion in humanitarian assistance in 2021, followed by around $3.8 billion in 2022 and nearly $2 billion in 2023.
For 2024 and 2025, the United Nations appealed for more than $3 billion to address humanitarian needs in Afghanistan. However, funding fell short of the amounts requested.
The assistance has largely been directed toward food, healthcare, support for returnees and other urgent humanitarian needs.
The United Nations continues to classify Afghanistan as one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, stressing that sustained international support remains essential for millions of Afghans who continue to need assistance.
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Afghanistan expresses condolences over deadly Indonesia earthquake
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has expressed deep sorrow over a powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 53 people and forcing around 5,000 others to evacuate.
A magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck Flores Island and surrounding areas on Saturday, blocking roads and triggering landslides, Indonesian authorities said.
In a statement, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed its sympathy and condolences to the government and people of Indonesia over the casualties caused by the earthquake.
It also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident.
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Afghan commerce minister meets Uzbek deputy prime minister in Termez
Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, met with Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshed Khojaev in the city of Termez to discuss expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.
The meeting, held on Saturday at the Termez Trade Center, focused on cooperation in the electricity, mining and agriculture sectors, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement.
Uzbek officials expressed interest in investing in various sectors in Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation welcomed the interest and emphasized its readiness to create the necessary conditions for expanding economic cooperation and joint investment.
Mohammad Yousuf Wafa, governor of Balkh, and Abdul Ghaffar Bahr, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Tashkent, also attended the meeting.
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