Story perspectives

2026 Revelations: U.S. Citizen Abducted by Taliban in 2022

1/29/2026

Summary

Story summary

In January 2026, reports surfaced about the 2022 abduction of Mahmood Shah Habibi, a U.S.-Afghan citizen, in Kabul.
Witnesses said Taliban intelligence officers blindfolded Habibi and drove him away, and Afghan intelligence vehicles blocked streets and searched his apartment.
Afghan officials denied knowledge of Habibi's whereabouts, while tensions rise between the administration of President Donald Trump and the Taliban, who seek to establish U.S. diplomatic ties.

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Story summary

In January 2026, reports surfaced about the 2022 abduction of Mahmood Shah Habibi, a U.S.-Afghan citizen, in Kabul.
Witnesses said Taliban intelligence officers blindfolded Habibi and drove him away, and Afghan intelligence vehicles blocked streets and searched his apartment.
Afghan officials denied knowledge of Habibi's whereabouts, while tensions rise between the administration of President Donald Trump and the Taliban, who seek to establish U.S. diplomatic ties.