Taliban Denies Involvement in Disappearance of Mahmood Shah Habibi
Tawazon – The Taliban has officially denied any involvement in the disappearance of Afghan citizen Mahmood Shah Habibi, rejecting allegations made by the United States that accused the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) of detaining him.
In a statement issued by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, the group described the U.S. claims as “baseless” and said that internal investigations were carried out by relevant departments in response to a petition from Mr. Habibi’s family. The results, according to the statement, revealed n evidence that Habibi is being held by any entity linked to the Taliban.
“All institutions of the Islamic Emirate, including the General Directorate of Intelligence, are committed to protecting the legitimate rights of detainees under Sharia-based laws,” the statement said. It also emphasized that any individual taken into custody must be referred to judicial authorities within the timeframe outlined by law.
Mahmood Shah Habibi, along with his driver and 29 colleagues, was reportedly detained after the United States conducted a drone strike in Kabul that killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda. Sources suggest that Habibi was arrested on suspicion of assisting the U.S. in targeting al-Zawahiri in the Afghan capital.
The Taliban added in the statement that, as a legitimate governing authority, it has no reason to detain or hide individuals solely based on suspicion of criminal activity. The statement also noted that in past cases invlving foreign nationals, including U.S. citizens, who were arrested for violating Afghan laws, the detainees were allowed to remain in contact with their families and were granted access to transparent legal proceedings.
This comes as family members of Mahmood Shah Habibi had previously stated that he was being held by the Taliban in Kandahar. Meanwhile, former CIA officer Sarah Adams has claimed that the Taliban handed Habibi over to al-Qaeda.
