On Sunday, Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor to President Biden, said America is actively working for the release of a US citizen who was held by the Afghan Taliban in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in early December 2021.
Sullivan told Jake Tapper, the anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent, that this US citizen landed on Afghan soil after the US pull-out had been concluded. Moreover, Sullivan said that he’s not going to get into the sensitivity of this matter, but he could offer a guarantee that it’s being handled at the top levels of their administration.
According to CNN reports, at least eight Westerners have been held by Afghan new rulers during different happenings in the recent 2-months. However, according to the people having direct knowledge of the issue in the U.S., Britain, and Afghanistan, no official charges appear to have been submitted against the arrested individuals. The detained people now include one American citizen, six UK nationals, and one US legal resident.
The reason every specific captivity is uncertain, and they’re not thought all to be connected. However, a spokesperson for U.S. National Security Council, Emily Horne, has called the confinements intolerable and stated America had been linked with the Afghan administration as it urges the group to free the British citizens. Horne said that it is totally intolerable for the Afghan government to hold hostage human beings, and entirely contrasted to their alleged objective to be seen as a legitimate performer on the world stage.
No Remarks Amid Safety and Privacy
Emily Horne added that through direct and ancillary communications with Afghan officials, they’d persuaded the release of at least any or all people who are unreasonably detained by the Afghan Taliban. They’ve no further remarks at present amid safety, privacy, and operational apprehensions.
Amrullah Saleh, the ex- Afghan Vice-President, said on Twitter that the Taliban kidnapped nine Europeans and Americans, naming journalists Peter Jouvenal, who has worked CNN and BBC, and Andrew North, previously of the BBC who was in Afghanistan for the U.N. The two detainees are UK nationals. Moreover, Natalia Antelava, the wife of Andrew North, has established that her husband was held.
Phew! A week after they were detained by the Taliban @mcconnellandrew & @northandrew are finally on their way home.They were in #Afghanistan covering the worsening humanitarian crisis. Their 3 brave Afghan colleagues are at home. All 5 are ok and grateful for your support. 🙏🏼 https://t.co/LskSCmhVVt
— natalia antelava (@antelava) February 13, 2022
Moreover, Mr. North was in the Central Asian country on assignment for the UNHCR – the United Nations Refugee Agency. Friends and family members of Jouvenal confirmed his detention. On 13th February, Jake Sullivan rejected reported the government unnoticed cautions to vacate US’s Embassy in Afghanistan in the last days of US two-decade occupation in Afghanistan.
Source: Web
When asked about Trevor Reed and Paul Whelan, who are presently held by the Kremlin, and struggle to get release the two, the U.S. national security advisor told the media that he has personally met with families of Reed and Whelan. In addition, Jake Sullivan said that he’s talked to them directly from US President that it’s precedence of theirs to get them home safe and sound.
